06 September 2016

Norwegian hairdresser who threw woman out of salon for wearing hijab faces six-month jail term

A hairdresser who threw a woman out of her salon because she was wearing a hijab is facing six-months in prison. Business owner Merete Hodne, 47, refused to colour 24-year-old Malika Bayan’s hair and said she did not want “this evil” inside the salon.

She also claimed she would be forced to discriminate against her male customers if she had to ask them to leave if Ms Bayan could not show her hair in front of them.

The incident at the salon in Bryne, south west Norway, was reported to police in October and Ms Hodne was ordered to pay a fine of 8,800 krone (£800) by police, but she has refused to pay the fine and is due to appear in court on Thursday.

Ms Hodne could be sentenced to six months in prison if she is found to have discriminated against Ms Bayan, the Express reports.

But she said if the court rules against her she is willing to appeal all the way to the European Court of Human Rights. [The Independent] Read more