The owner of this upscale Back Bay store just got sued by the state for allegedly discriminating against customers
“I love Trump! I am glad he is going to get rid of all the immigrants,” the owner and manager of The Tannery allegedly told a customer of Middle Eastern descent.
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey has filed a lawsuit against the owner of an upscale shoe and clothing store in Boston’s Back Bay after he allegedly discriminated against customers, her office announced Wednesday.
Hicham Ali Hassan, the owner and manager of The Tannery who also goes by Sam Hassan, has been accused of violating the state’s Public Accommodations Law and Consumer Protection Act for allegedly discriminating against shoppers because of their race, national origin, or immigration status.
The complaint filed Wednesday in Suffolk Superior Court alleges Hassan denied service to an African American man and a Middle Eastern woman in separate incidents in December 2017 and March 2017, respectively.
“The AG’s Office alleges that the experiences of the two victims are examples of a larger pattern of Hassan’s discriminatory treatment of certain customers,” Healey’s office said in a release.
We just filed suit against the owner of The Tannery in #Boston over two reports of discrimination based on race, national origin, and immigration status. https://t.co/wbqIxZXQWj
— AG Maura Healey Archived (@AGHealeyArchive) July 25, 2018
No one answered calls to the Boylston Street shop Wednesday.
According to the complaint, when an African American customer entered the store before closing in December 2017, Hassan approached him, said, “What’s up brother man?,” and stopped him from fully entering. He allegedly went on to tell the man that “he did not want [his] kind in [the store],” in addition to repeatedly telling him he could not shop there and implying that he did not have the money to do so.
“Hassan then allegedly directed the victim to the door, and told him he didn’t want his money and to shop elsewhere,” the release said.
The complaint also alleges that in March 2017, Hassan continuously asked a Middle Eastern woman where she was from. He allegedly said he did not trust immigrants and told her, “I love Trump! I am glad he is going to get rid of all the immigrants.”
“The victim decided she no longer wanted the boots after hearing these comments,” the release said. “As she was exiting the store, Hassan allegedly shouted at her to get out and that he didn’t ‘trust [her] people.’”
By filing the lawsuit, Healey is seeking injunctive relief to order the store to comply with the law, as well as compensatory damages for the victims and civil penalties, according to the release.
