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| Oprah Winfrey 'was victim of racism' in Switzerland | Oprah Winfrey 'was victim of racism' in Switzerland |
| (about 13 hours later) | |
| US talk show host Oprah Winfrey says she was the victim of racism during a recent visit to Switzerland. | US talk show host Oprah Winfrey says she was the victim of racism during a recent visit to Switzerland. |
| She said an assistant refused to serve her in an upmarket handbag shop in Zurich. | She said an assistant refused to serve her in an upmarket handbag shop in Zurich. |
| Winfrey, one of the world's richest women, was apparently told the bags on display were "too expensive" for her. | Winfrey, one of the world's richest women, was apparently told the bags on display were "too expensive" for her. |
| Her claims, made to a US television programme, come amid a political row over plans by some Swiss towns to ban asylum-seekers from some public places. | Her claims, made to a US television programme, come amid a political row over plans by some Swiss towns to ban asylum-seekers from some public places. |
| The BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Berne says human rights groups have likened the plans - which include banning asylum-seekers from swimming pools, playing fields and libraries - to apartheid. | The BBC's Imogen Foulkes in Berne says human rights groups have likened the plans - which include banning asylum-seekers from swimming pools, playing fields and libraries - to apartheid. |
| Proof | Proof |
| Winfrey, who stars in Lee Daniels' new film The Butler, visited Zurich last month to attend singer Tina Turner's wedding. The Oprah Winfrey Show is not shown in Switzerland. | Winfrey, who stars in Lee Daniels' new film The Butler, visited Zurich last month to attend singer Tina Turner's wedding. The Oprah Winfrey Show is not shown in Switzerland. |
| Winfrey said she left the shop calmly without arguing, but that the experience was proof that racism continues to be a problem. | Winfrey said she left the shop calmly without arguing, but that the experience was proof that racism continues to be a problem. |
| "There's two different ways to handle it," she said. | "There's two different ways to handle it," she said. |
| "I could've had the whole blow-up thing... but it still exists, of course it does." | "I could've had the whole blow-up thing... but it still exists, of course it does." |
| Shop owner Trudy Gotz told the BBC that an assistant had shown Winfrey several other items before the "misunderstanding" over a $35,000 (£22,500) bag, which was kept behind a screen. | |
| Winfrey's claims are a public relations disaster for Switzerland, our correspondent says. | |
| About 48,000 people are currently seeking asylum in Switzerland. It has twice as many asylum seekers as the European average. | About 48,000 people are currently seeking asylum in Switzerland. It has twice as many asylum seekers as the European average. |
| Officials say the curbs, which will also see asylum-seekers housed in special centres, are aimed at preventing tensions with residents. | Officials say the curbs, which will also see asylum-seekers housed in special centres, are aimed at preventing tensions with residents. |
| The country's asylum laws were tightened in June. | The country's asylum laws were tightened in June. |