Selfridges to reinstate shop worker suspended over EDL row

http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/sep/18/selfridges-reinstate-shop-worker-edl

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Selfridges is to reinstate a shop assistant it suspended after the leader of the far-right English Defence League, Tommy Robinson, claimed the man had subjected him and a friend to a tirade of foul language.

Robinson, who leads anti-Islam protests that have often turned violent, was shopping in the first-floor menswear section of the Oxford Street branch on Monday and claimed a Muslim shop assistant told his friend: "Fuck off, I'm not serving you," once he recognised Robinson as the leader of the far-right group.

The worker had reportedly declined to help Robinson's colleague when he asked for a different garment size and tried to ignore Robinson's complaints that he was discriminating because he was with the leader of the EDL before walking away.

Robinson took to Twitter to allege the worker had abused his friend and posted a picture of the assistant to his 80,000 followers. He also broadcast pictures of a complimentary three-course meal in one of the store's luxury restaurants that it laid on by way of apology. The assistant was suspended and faced possible sacking with a store spokesman saying it was "very disappointed at the incident … we pride ourselves on making everyone welcome and endeavour to provide world-class customer service at all times".

Selfridges then launched an investigation which involved interviewing witnesses and while the shop worker's decision to refuse service to Robinson's friend would have been a breach of Selfridges policy, it is understood that the store is satisfied there is no credible evidence that the shop worker used foul language as Robinson claimed. It remains unclear whether the shop worker is Muslim as Robinson assumed. USDAW, the shop workers' union, has been providing him with representation.

"Since 1909 we have welcomed everyone to our store and have endeavoured to provide a world-class service," a spokesman for Selfridges said. "Our policy is to serve all customers. And from our thorough investigation into this individual case we found no clear grounds for our sales associate to be dismissed. He has an unblemished seven-year record and will be back to work in due course."

On Wednesday night Robinson continued to insist the shop assistant had sworn, and said: "If a non-Muslim had done this he would have lost his job."

"My mate wasn't lying, he did swear," said Robinson. "He said fuck off, jog on."

"Selfridges were great," he said. "I got a free steak out of it. If the guy had spoken to me there would have been an understanding. The thing that got me was that this was nothing to do with my mate, he's not EDL."

He said that he considered the matter "done and dusted" adding: "We don't hold a grudge against him. I didn't want him to lose his job."

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