Business & Tech

Hazelwood Woman Upset Bank Refused Her Service Due to a Scarf

Adiaratou Sall wears the scarf for religious beliefs. She is Muslim and goes out with her hair covered in public. The bank says refusal was part of safety protocol.

Hazelwood resident Adiaratou Sall said she went into her bank like she has often for the past 10 years, but was refused service because she was wearing a scarf covering her hair.

It was the Gateway Metro Credit Union and she told KSDK, for the first time,  she felt discrimination due to her religious beliefs.

The bank does have a sign on its front door asking patrons to take off any hats, sunglasses or hoods.

Sall said the teller told her to remove her scarf before the transaction could be completed.

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Gateway Metro Credit Union President and CEO Larry Pixley told KSDK the credit union has had a policy for years of no sunglasses, hats or hoods; and due to recent robberies the credit union is enforcing the policy more strictly all over.

"I don't like doing it, but I have to protect the members and the employees," he told the television station.

He said Sall could use the ATM to perform transactions if she didn't want to remover her covering. Still, Sall was able to complete her transaction at another branch the same day and was confused by the inconsistency.

Click her to see the KSDK video and find out what both sides had to say.

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Should Sall have to remove her covering if it violates her religious beliefs?

Could the credit union have a protocol for those with specific  restrictions that require covering or dark colored glasses, like have them make an appointment so it will be known beforehand?








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