A woman in Sweden was refused a ride on a bus because she was wearing a veil at the time. According to reports by the Associated Press, the woman is now receiving USD 4,200 in compensation from the Swedish bus company.
The bus company in question was Arriva Scandinavia. According to a spokesperson from the company, Jan Widau, in addition to compensation to the woman, the company has also fired the driver responsible.
Details of the event were released by Sweden’s Ombudsman against ethnic discrimination. According to the ombudsman, the woman tried to board a bus in Malmo, in Sweden’s south-western region last year. The woman paid the full fare but was asked by the bus driver to leave the bus because he could not identify her due to her niqab head dress.
The woman was unmoved by the driver’s desire to identify her, as she was using a bus pass without a photograph. “I have never before needed to identify myself on a public bus. Wearing a head dress is my own choice and doesn’t make me any more threatening than anyone else,” she said.
The bus company claims to offer safe and secure transportation “for all people”, however the ombudsman said that in this case, the driver failed to allow someone to travel based on their religion. The ombudsman said that employees should not react to the clothing of the customers when offering service.
A company spokesman said Arriva was “happy to pay out the money” in this particular instance.
That was not right for the bus driver to do that at all. She should be more then happy with getting 4,200 for compensation. Bus company should train there employees in better
Wow, I was under the impression we are living in the 21st century. To deny access, to what is fundementally a public service, because of what you are wearing belongs back in the dark ages! Maybe, just maybe, if the driver required to see some photo id I could understand it. But as the article states the bus pass used did not have a photo on it.
I am glad the company has had to pay out significant damages and the driver was fired. Maybe this will wake businesses up to the fact that this kind of blatant prejudice has no place in a modern society!