In a recent investigation led by BuzzFeed News, L'Avenue - a renowned restaurant in Paris, France - has been denounced for its racism and discrimination against Arabs.
Four former employees of L'Avenue have spoken up regarding a racist system that was - and still is - implemented at the food establishment in an effort to keep out anyone with "Arabic-sounding names" and veiled women.
Arabs - specifically those from Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE - had been denied reservations, according to the testimonies of the former employees.
The employees claimed the management "routinely instructed them" not to make reservations for Middle Eastern tourists, specifically hijabis who show up without a reservation, BuzzFeed News reports.
The rules went as following:
- If a hijabi asks for a table, the reply would be that the restaurant is full, even if it wasn't.
- If a hijabi manages to book a table on the phone or online, employees would have to deny the reservation was ever made.
- If a hijabi books through a high-end, five-star hotel, they will still not get a table.
L'Avenue also keeps a list of country codes to determine whether a certain caller should be denied entry.
One employee explained how the restaurant's director, Alexandre Denis, would rather have "two blonde people, beautiful, on the terrace, with two coffees, rather than veiled women, even if they are rich."
BuzzFeed News reached out to Denis for comments.
"All cultures, all nationalities come here. There are people from the Middle East, there is everything you want," Denis told the media outlet.
"If you want to denounce us as racist people, that's... We'll manage as much as we can, but that's not it. ... I can say something, but I do not know how the chicks [sic] will interpret it. ... What is certain is that I never gave instructions to refuse customers," he added.
However, two screenshots of WhatsApp conversations that went down between L'Avenue staff seem to debunk Denis' claims.
"Park Hyatt [a Parisian hotel] I told them that we are full for lunch tomorrow!! They are pushing for two [people] tomorrow afternoon in the name of Al Saoud, be careful not to say yes if they ask for a reservation for 4 to another name. Otherwise, they will know that we're not full. They said they would call back tomorrow, so be careful. Thank you, girls," the message on the left reads.
Not the first time L'Avenue has been accused of discrimination
The BuzzFeed investigation also mentions a 2007 French documentary titled 'Dans la peau d'un noir' (In the skin of a black), which uncovers several cases of racism and discrimination against black people in France.
In one incident, two black people were refused to be seated on the ground floor and were instead seated upstairs - far from the eyes of passersby. BuzzFeed News has since confirmed that restaurant to be L'Avenue.
Regardless of cases of discrimination, the restaurant has future plans of expansion and is reportedly planning to open a new branch in New York City's Saks Fifth Avenue.
France is no stranger to racism
In 2011, France initiated the burqa (full-face veil) ban, becoming the first European country to do so. Muslim women of all nationalities would risk a fine if donning a burqa in public spaces.
At the time, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy said that veils "oppress women" and were "not welcome" in France, according to the BBC.
In 2016, France introduced another ban targeting Muslim women and this time the "burkini" swimsuits covering the entire body were the center of attention. The ban was later lifted.
The ban was also strongly supported by France's far-right leader and ex-presidential candidate Marine Le Pen, who has been extremely vocal in fighting against the hijab and burqa in France.
In 2017, Le Pen refused to wear a veil for a meeting with Lebanon's Grand Mufti.
In 2016, a video circulated online showing two Muslim women being refused entry by the manager to a French restaurant called Le Cenacle.
The latter also called them terrorists and added: "I don't want people like you here." He later apologized following the backlash.