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Restaurant sorry for 'alleged'
turban ban
 A Richmond Hill
restaurant that initially denied claims it had refused entry to a
Sikh man because of his turban has issued an apology of sorts.
In a news
release sent by co-owner Andrew Taranowski, Marlowe Restaurant and
Wine Bar apologizes "to all our customers or any individuals who
were offended by the recent news relating to alleged racist comments
made towards any individual which apparently occurred at our
establishment."
Taranowski
sought legal advice before drafting the release.
Gaurav Singh,
who describes himself as a "proud turban-wearing Sikh," demanded the
apology after saying he was denied admission to Marlowe on a
Saturday night recently because of his religious headgear.
Singh wanted to
meet the owner-manager to "personally educate him about the Sikh
faith, along with explaining to him the contributions Sikhs have
made to Canada in breaking discriminatory barriers that apply to
many immigrants."
Taranowski
initially said he wouldn't agree to such a meeting.
"I don't feel
that I have to, only because I don't feel I'm ignorant of their
faith or any faith for that matter ..."
However, in a
subsequent phone call, he said, "I would be open to anything really
... because I would really like to meet the gentleman."
Singh had
threatened to go to the media unless Marlowe apologized by the date
he set, but his case gained international attention after a friend
posted his letter, detailing the incident, on the Facebook website.
He got more than 1,000 emails of support from as far away as the
U.S., Britain and India.
The letter said
that, after waiting in line for an hour at Marlowe to celebrate the
birthday of a friend, he was told by both the doorman and the
owner-manager, whom he does not identify by name, that he couldn't
enter because of the restaurant's no-headgear policy. Marlowe's
website stipulates a "no baseball hats" rule.
Singh explained
his turban is an article of religious faith and shouldn't be
considered typical headwear. Singh added he and other turbaned Sikhs
that had been welcomed at Marlowe in the past, the letter states.
The
owner-manager refused to budge, stating "this was his sandbox and he
could do what he pleased," Singh wrote.
Singh sent
copies of his letter to the Ontario Human Rights Commission, the
Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund and Liberal MP
Navdeep Bains (Mississauga-Brampton South).
Bains, who also
wears a turban, said Singh told him he plans to pursue the issue
with the human rights commission.
10
February 2010
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