A court in the city of Bayonne, southwestern France, ordered a fine of 600 euros for a restaurant official in the municipality of Hendaye only for refusing to enter a veiled woman at the end of last May.
Local media reported that the restaurant official had confessed during her trial that she had committed the crime of "discrimination on the basis of religion" and that she had stipulated that her customer - who came with her son - take off her veil to enter the restaurant.
À Hendaye, une amende pour la restauratrice qui avait refusé l'entrée de son restaurant à une femme voilée
Cette femme of 64 ans, née in Espagne mais de nationalité française, a été reconnue coupable de “discrimination fondée sur la religion.” https://t.co/S0xTQUWMOs
- Le Figaro (@Le_Figaro) November 30, 2022
And local media indicated that the restaurant owner will have to pay the fine to the veiled woman, and complete the citizenship course “with the aim of learning the values of the republic,” as determined by the court.
The court's decision sparked a divergence of opinions across French platforms, as some saw the decision as a "real joke" because the judiciary applied the lightest penalties to the owner of the restaurant, which may be considered an encouragement to everyone who holds these ideas, according to their saying.
Tffoouu pays de merde!
L'amende c'est la recette qu'elle fait une journée avec son restaurant!
You avez rien à faire des discrimination Quand ça touche les musulmans!
Elle aurait refusé un Houdi elle manger le tarif prévu à cet effet ⤵️#Hendaye #Islamophobia #islamophie pic.twitter.com/uhXJZFtEe5
- Abou_Uk (@UkAbou) November 29, 2022
At a time, other far-right accounts criticized the court, noting that the restaurant official has every right to refuse veiled women entry to her restaurant, as they put it.
Les magistrats in #Hendaye se sont rendus complices des mollahs et des talibans.
La restauratrice évoquait le sort réservé aux femmes dans les pays islamiques pour justifier son refus et il n'y avait rien d'infamant à cela.
Sur le fond, elle avait raison.
https://t.co/hSPPKMdq75
Denise 💉💉💉 (@denisedetralala) November 29, 2022
The video clip - which spread months ago - sparked widespread criticism, and showed an official in a restaurant in the municipality of Onday refusing to enter the veiled woman.