Muslim women launch discrimination lawsuit against California cafe claiming they were thrown out for wearing headscarves 

• e-mail

A group of seven Muslim women have launched a civil rights lawsuit against a cafe claiming they were ejected from the premises because of their religion.

Sara Farsakh, Soondus Ahmed, Rawan Hamdan, Sara C, Yumna H, Safa R and Marwa R, filed a lawsuit Tuesday accusing Urth Caffe in Laguna Beach, California, of discrimination.

The women claim the police were called and they were forced to leave the restaurant despite being in the middle of their food because six of them were wearing headscarves.

Attorneys representing the women accuse Urth of going back 'to the days of "Whites only" signs and colored water fountains.' 

Sara Farsakh (center) and six of her friends claim they were thrown out of Urth Caffe in Laguna Beach, California, because they were Muslim and wearing headscarves

According to the lawsuit Farsakh and six of her friends were having a meal at Urth on April 22, placing their food order at around 7.15 pm.

The food arrived staggered between 7.20pm and 8.15pm, with several of the women ordering coffee and desert, when a staff member that Farsakh identifies as Tino came over to their table.

Farsakh said Tino asked the women to leave, pointing to to a restaurant policy that says customers may be asked to leave after 45 minutes if people are waiting and there are no tables available.

Farsakh said employees to her friends they had to leave because of a rule about tables only being occupied for 45 minutes at busy times

However, in a video taken by Farsakh at the time of the incident, multiple free tables can be seen.

Farsakh claims that, in total, there were 20 free tables in the restaurant and outside seating area at the time they were ejected.

The restaurant policy, which Farsakh photographed, states: 'If tables are available, you are certainly welcome to enjoy Urth for as long as you like.'

Farsakh says Tino informed the group that the restaurant was expecting a 'busy period', despite queues being short at the time. 

In a Facebook post, she goes on to say that other staff and even a security guard who were called over to speak with the group seemed confused as to why the policy was being applied to them.

Farsakh added: 'The party on the table next to us - a group of white women - overheard our conversation and were shocked. 

'They told us they had been sitting far longer than we had but had never been told to leave.'

According to the Council on American-Islamic Relations, another group said they had been in the restaurant for four hours and had not been spoken to by staff.

Farsakh added: 'I am completely appalled by the racist and Islamophobic treatment some friends and I were subjected to by staff at Urth Caffé in Laguna Beach last night. 

'What began as a night out with some friends ended as a painful and embarrassing reminder of what it is like to be visibly Muslim—even in liberal California. 

'By visibly Muslim, I mean women who wear the hijab, or headscarf.

'I truly believe, that if I were sitting there with my friends who were not wearing headscarves, we would not have been asked to leave.'

However, a video taken by Farsakh before her group were ejected show multiple empty tables in the restaurant, while the policy states that if all tables are not full guests are welcome for 'as long as you desire'

Attorneys for the group have accused Urth of going back 'to the days of "Whites only" signs and colored water fountains' by throwing the women out

A second video shot by Farsakh shows two police officers standing by their table, who eventually removed them from the restaurant.

Mohammad Tajsar, an attorney at Hadsell Stormer & Renick LLP who represents the women with Gallinger Law, said: 'Urth Caffe’s expulsion of this group of women is a throwback to the days of "Whites only" signs and colored water fountains, with Muslims now being the convenient targets of discrimination. 

'Urth Caffé’s attempt to whitewash its upscale clientele by using its seating policy as a justification to expel those who outwardly appear Muslim is both immoral and illegal, and should have no place in Orange County’s diverse community.'

The lawsuit goes on to claim that there have been several racially motivated incidents against Muslims at the restaurant, including eggs being thrown and tires slashed.

Management at the cafe (pictured) deny all claims of discrimination against them and say the seating policy was 'properly and justifiably applied'

While police say they have been called out to reports of eggs being thrown and tires being slashed, according to CBS Los Angeles, officers say all of these incidents were reported by staff and none are believed to have been racially motivated.

In a statement on the cafe's own Facebook page, managers wrote: 'Urth Caffe categorically denies any and all claims of racial or religious discrimination against Sara Farsakh.

'While a full investigation is still ongoing, it appears that Ms. Farsakh and her friends violated company policies and that the staff at Urth Caffe in Laguna properly and justifiably applied company procedures.

'Urth Caffe neither condones nor tolerates discrimination of any kind. Urth Caffe workforce’s, multicultural customer base and in fact, Urth’s entire corporate culture, are all reliable indicators that Urth appreciates, encourages and lauds peace and diversity.'