CAIR-Chicago Files IDHR Complaint Against Rock n' Roll McDonalds

CAIR-Chicago filed a charge of Discrimination with the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) after receiving a complaint from three Middle Eastern men who were forcibly removed by security guards at the Rock n' Roll McDonalds in Downtown Chicago. The men entered the McDonalds restaurant speaking Assyrian, a Middle Eastern language, and were waiting in line to order when security guards belligerently approached the men and began to yell. The men were called "camel jockeys" and "terrorists" by the guards, and were forcibly removed from the restaurant. When one of the men protested by saying that they were law-abiding individuals, the officers stated that it did not matter because they were still "terrorists" and should "go back to [their] own country." The officers also commented that the three men had no right to speak to American girls.

The men also called 9-1-1, and police officers arrived on the scene to investigate the incident but refused to file a report. The men were told by police that the incident was just a misunderstanding and that the three men should disregard it.

CAIR-Chicago's Attorney Rima Kapitan filed a complaint with the IDHR concerning a violation of Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Illinois state law on public accommodations, which states that "it is unlawful to discriminate in the full and equal enjoyment of facilities and services by any place of public accommodation, such as a business, recreation, lodging, entertainment, or transportation facility that is open to the public."

CAIR-Chicago will continue its representation of the men in the matter.

For more information, contact civilrights@cairchicago.org.

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