News

Saudi Man Banned From Entering Restaurant For Wearing Traditional Robe, Egypt Apologizes

Saudi Man Banned From Entering Restaurant For Wearing Traditional Robe, Egypt Apologizes

Egypt's Minister of Tourism personally apologized to the Saudi national.
Egypt’s Minister of Tourism personally apologized to the Saudi national.

Egypt’s Minister of Tourism has apologized to Saudi Arabian national Ghaleb Hazzaa after he was not allowed to enter a restaurant for wearing a traditional white robe, reported state media Al-Ahram.

A video had gone viral on Tuesday showing Hazzaa and others arguing with venue staff after Hazzaa was banned from entering the restaurant in Sheikh Zayed for wearing the traditional ‘galabiya’.

“He is wearing a Saudi robe…he’s of old age…if you were in Saudi Arabia and wearing a suit, can we deny you entry to a restaurant?” asked one man in the video.

“It is an embarrassment that you do not respect tourists, particularly for wearing traditional robe,” says another man.

Following the incident, Egypt’s Minister of Tourism Khaled Ramy invited Hazzaa to his office where he offered a formal apology for the incident, adding that this did not reflect the values of Egyptians towards tourists and fellow Arabs.

Meanwhile, the Ministry has reportedly ordered the restaurant be shut down for a month after investigations showed the restaurant should not have banned Hazzaa from entry, reported El-Watan.

Reports that the restaurant was shut down came after the Ministry’s Under-Secretary said that discrimination could result in the cancellation of the restaurant’s license.

Despite the alleged outrage by the Ministry, Egyptians are often subjected to discrimination at bars, restaurants and clubs. Veiled women are often denied entry, some bars have been accused of profiling and more.

Former Egyptian President Morsi Sentenced to Death
ISIS leader declares "Islam was never a religion of peace. Islam is the religion of fighting"

Subscribe to our newsletter


News
@egyptianstreets

Quick clicks. Making it lighter.

More in News

Egypt Inaugurates New Village Development Project for Bedouins in South Sinai

Egyptian Streets26 September 2023

Egypt’s Presidential Elections will be Held in December 2023

Farah Rafik25 September 2023

Egypt Delays Onion Export Ban to October

Shereif Barakat24 September 2023

Egyptian University Student Develops ‘Egypt Metro’ App for Seamless Navigation

Farah Rafik23 September 2023

Bridging Egyptian Artists and the World: ‘Forever is Now’ Exhibition Returns at the Pyramids

Egyptian Streets22 September 2023

Egyptian Minister of Environment to Co-Chair COP28 Negotiations on Climate Finance

Muhammed Kotb21 September 2023

Sunken Sanctuary of Aphrodite and Temple of Amun Discovered in Egypt

Shereif Barakat20 September 2023

Egypt’s New Capital Plans to Sell 10% of its Shares

Egyptian Streets19 September 2023