In Saudi Arabia, French Restaurants Refuse Entry To Women Wearing Hijabs And Men In Traditional Clothing

After reportedly denying entry to women wearing hijab and men wearing Saudi national attire, a French restaurant in Jeddah has sparked controversy throughout Saudi Arabia.

Two of Islam's holiest sites are located in the country, where this incident is believed to be a first of its kind.

The shocking decision upset many of the restaurant's customers.

In Saudi Arabia, countless citizens took to social media to call on authorities to take action against the restaurant.

Angry customers accused the eatery of disrespecting Islam in the home of Islam as well. A social media user commented on the restaurant's Facebook page: "I don't think this restaurant deserves a star.". Because it does not allow women to wear the hijab, and it does not allow men to wear Saudi clothing. They should be expelled from Jeddah. Their disrespect for our religion is very annoying to me."

A second user, Tariq El Eblesch, added: "I think they (restaurant) need to leave Jeddah. They disrespect our culture and religion."

The restaurant and Saudi authorities have not responded or commented.

There have been numerous instances in the Gulf region of hijabi women being denied entry to restaurants. A popular Indian restaurant in Bahrain was shut down two months ago because a woman wearing a hijab was denied entry.

A video showing one of the facility's staff blocking a veiled woman from entering went viral on social media, sparking anger among users against this behavior. The Bahrain Tourism and Exhibition Authority (BTEA) said it has launched an investigation into the incident.

Her friend was unable to enter the restaurant because her hijab made it impossible for her to enter, as she is heard saying in the video.

To avoid enforcing policies that violate Kingdom laws, all tourism outlets have been asked to comply with regulations.

Specifically, the ministry rejects all discrimination against national identities.