Muslim mother wearing niqab 'told to leave Indiana shop'

Sarah Safi says she has been covering her face in public for years

A Muslim mother has said she was told to leave a grocery store by a member of staff over her wearing a niqab face veil.

Sarah Safi, who has lived most of her life in Texas before moving to Indiana, filmed the moment a manager at a Family Dollar store apparently told her she would have to leave.

The footage appears to show the exchange beginning shortly after Ms Safi entered the shop, culminating in a woman - who seemingly identified herself as the manager - ordering the customer to "leave my store" and wishing her "a blessed day".

Ms Safi, who has two children, said no such incident has happened to her before and she would like to sit down and talk to the staff member in question.

“You’re telling me I have to leave this store?” Ms Safi isseemingly heard saying in the video.

The store worker says: “Yes ma’am, if you can’t remove that from your face I need you to leave the store.”

“This is a religious garment, ma’am. This is -” begins Ms Safi.

“I understand, but you have to understand this is a high crime area where we get robbed a lot. You need to remove that from your face, or remove yourself from the store,” replies the manager.

“You think I’m going to rob you because I have my face –“, says Ms Safi.

“You need to remove that from your face or remove yourself from this store, please," says the manager again.

“I’m the manager and I’m telling you to leave my store. Have a blessed day."

Ms Safi then says: “What is your name? Because I am going to tell Family Dollar Corporate. This is a country where it is freedom of religion and freedom of speech. I have a right to wear whatever I want to wear”..

“There’s women that come in here with bikini tops on. No, I’m leaving,” she adds.

Ms Safi returned to her two children waiting in the car.

Ms Safi told ABC7 News she was "really saddened" by the incident.

"I would like to sit with her and speak to her about what I believe in, because maybe if she heard and really listened to what I believe it would open her heart," she said.

The Independent has approached Family Dollar Corporation for comment.