Daily Mail
August 2, 2014
A sales consultant was allegedly turned away from a busy cinema yesterday because he was not a Muslim celebrating Eid.
Leon Jennings had been visiting Birmingham’s Star City entertainment complex with two friends.
But as the 22-year-old tried to enter the Vue cinema based on the site, which includes dozens or bars and restaurants, he said he was turned away by a security guard.
After asking them why, Mr Jennings claimed he was told by staff that film showings were only for couples and families celebrating the end of the Muslim festival.
Mr Jennings and his three friends were allegedly forced to turn around and go home unable to watch a film at the complex, because ‘they did not look like they celebrated Eid’.
Today he said he was left feeling embarrassed by the incident and felt discriminated against for being white.
The revelation has caused outrage as other visitors reported similar experiences across the venue, which is based in the Aston area of the city, where 87 per cent of residents are from an ethnic group other than white.
Mr Jennings, a viewing consultant at a photography studio, from Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham, said: ‘I was going there with my pals to the cinema as it’s Orange Wednesdays, so you get two for one.
‘As we drove in the bloke on the gate said to use “not tonight guys, it’s couples and families only”. We thought he was just joking and went and parked up.
‘We tried to get into the cinema and the security guy stopped us from going in. He said we couldn’t go in because it was only couples and families celebrating Eid.
‘I tried to point out that there were loads of group of lads who were Asian being allowed in but that made no difference.
‘Thinking back we should have fought our ground more but at the time we were just shocked at what had happened. He said to us we didn’t look like we were celebrating Eid.
‘He was making assumptions about my religion and banning me based on my skin colour. It’s not like we are trouble makers – we are mature, all dressed respectably and just wanted to go see a film.
‘It will just be seen as blatant racism. You have to admit that if it was done for any other celebration, like Christmas or anything, there would be uproar.