The Pepperoni restaurant in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, apologized to a customer who was allegedly denied access by local staff because her hair was in braids.
The action of administrators of the luxury establishment occurred after an agreement this Tuesday in which the Human Rights Department of the Public Ministry intervened.
Local media reported that on Tuesday the prosecutor Danissa Cruz, in charge of the aforementioned department, announced the agreement reached between the parties after the complaint of discrimination made by Nicahuri Belén Berroa. In different hearings, the parties testified separately and presented their arguments.
John Pierre Bahsa, owner of the restaurant, apologized for the bad time that the client went through.
Bahsa alleged that it was a mishandling of communication and not a discriminatory action for physical appearance or racism.
As part of the conciliation, Bahsa also promised to guide the employees of his restaurant about the resolution 0051 of 15 May 2013, which establishes that the country’s restaurants and bars cannot discriminate based on color, ethnicity, disability or any other condition.
“During the hearing, the parties agreed that, at the time of confirming the reservation, Nicahuri Belén Berroa did not receive the details of the dress code established in the restaurant,” the prosecutor was quoted as saying by Almomento. net.
Another point of the agreement is that the establishment will publish in a visible place the code of clothing that her clients aspire to wear and will also do so by any means of confirmation they use.
Belén Berroa and her husband Ynti Eusebio denounced that, last February, on the occasion of her birthday, she went to the restaurant with friends.
However, local employees ruined her plan by not allowing her access, allegedly, due to the style of her hair.
It is not clear what the staff told him when he was denied the access. But Eusebio shared part of the incident on Twitter.
“My wife had her birthday last 16 of the month ongoing, and today her friends wanted to celebrate and booked at a DN restaurant called Peperoni, when the girls arrived, they didn’t let my wife in because she braided her hair and they ruined her night. Very well dressed my girl, but they were in the wrong place; there they can only celebrate the fine hair of white complexion. Damn racism in a country of mulattoes and blacks!” the doctor complained.