Hate crime

Pub investigated over Muslim customer told to remove "Islam" hoodie

By Oli Gross

- Last updated on GMT

Pub investigated over Muslim customer told to remove "Islam" hoodie
A pub is under investigation by police after a barman allegedly told a Muslim customer to take off a hoodie which displayed his surname, Islam.

The Coach and Horses near Hertford has been accused of discrimination after teacher Nurul Islam claimed he was told to remove the top which featured his surname on the back.

He told ITV News​ a barman justified the decision by explaining customers found the top offensive in the wake of the Nice attack.

Islam reported his colleagues were shocked by the demand, which he refused, and left the venue.

"It's beyond belief really. You think that this sort of stuff is left behind a long time ago, but it seems to be OK now. I don't know whether Brexit had an effect on this,” he said.

The teacher was wearing the named hoodie as part of the school’s Duke of Edinburgh scheme, as were other teachers attending.

Hertfordshire Police are reportedly enlisting a specialist hate crime officer to investigate the incident.

According to ITV, Islam suggested the licensee should apologise. The Coach and Horses was unavailable for comment when The Morning Advertiser ​contacted the pub.

Hertfordshire Police told the Hertfordshire Mercury: "A specialist hate crime officer is investigating to establish whether offences have been committed."

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