Boston Sikh Student Barred from Club

May 26, 2004

Source: The Harvard Crimson

http://www.thecrimson.com/article.aspx?ref=502704

On May 26, 2004 The Harvard Crimson reported, "A Boston University (B.U.) student who was denied access to the dance club at the Hong Kong restaurant last week for wearing a religious head covering is attempting to make the Kong reverse what he calls its discriminatory no-hats policy. Deeptej Singh, a first-year medical student at B.U. who is a Sikh, said that when he tried to enter the club on the night of May 14, the Kong’s general manager David T. Hayes denied him entrance, citing a Cambridge-wide no-hats policy. However, Cambridge Police Department (CPD) spokesperson Frank T. Pasquarello said he was not aware of the policy. 'We have no idea,' Pasquarello said. 'We’ve never heard of it; I don’t think there is such a policy.' Singh, 22, said he believes he was a victim of discrimination, and he is calling upon the New York-based Sikh Coalition to help him make the Kong change their policy."