An Invercargill cafe owner's refusal to serve Israelis on the basis of their nationality is a clear human rights breach, Race Relations Commissioner Joris de Bres says.
Sisters Natalie Bennie and Tamara Shefa were upset after being booted out of the Mevlana Cafe in Esk St yesterday by owner Mustafa Tekinkaya.
They chose to eat at Mevlana Cafe because it had a play area for Mrs Bennie's two children, but they were told to leave before they had ordered any food, Mrs Bennie said.
"He heard us speaking Hebrew and he asked us where we were from. I said Israel and he said 'get out, I am not serving you'. It was shocking."
Mr Tekinkaya, who is Muslim and from Turkey, said he was making his own protest against Israel because it was killing innocent babies and women in the Gaza Strip.
"I have decided as a protest not to serve Israelis until the war stops."
He said he had nothing against Israeli people but if any more came into his shop they would also be told to leave, and he was not concerned if he lost business.
Note the last bit - "he was not concerned if he lost business". Keeping Stock is sure that the good, fair-minded folk of Invercargill and surrounding districts will take note of Mr Tekinkaya's lack of concern, and his despicable racist attitudes. Likewise, Stuff reports that the owner of a neighbouring Turkish Kebab shop, Mr Ali Uzun will take the same stance. New Zealand does not need bigoted migrants such as these, and we hope that Immigration New Zealand is right now checking the immigration status of both men.
UPDATE: MacDoctor airs his thoughts in a more amusing form!
5 comments:
Why has DPF got ads for muslima.com on his site?
This site is a Muslim marriage site and considering Saudi has just approved 10 year olds getting married it seems a bit off.
Back to the guy in Invercargill.
It is probably safe to assume when he refused to serve them he thought they would go away and never be heard of again. If that is the case how wrong he was.
I have heard Joris de Bries , Race Relations Conciliator on radio saying he has broken the law. However I wonder about the cafe owners rightt to say who may or may not enter his premises.
I saw him on TV1 news and while I don't agree with his reasons for turning the two Israeli ladies away I do support his right to control who comes into his premises.
pdm - the cafe owner is certainly entitled to refuse top serve people or admit them to his premises. But he is NOT entitled to make that decision on grounds of race or religion - and therein lies the difference.
I'm just staggered there's a Turkish cafe in Invercargill.
Seems a slightly antagonistic act to speak Hebrew in it.
Leg Break
Are you kidding?
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