NYC museum employees decry keffiyeh ban [Video]

A New York City museum has been slammed by its staff for banning employees from wearing the keffiyeh, a Palestinian headscarf.

The ban came to light when a gallery attendant at the Noguchi Museum in Queens was reportedly pulled into a meeting with the Museum’s Director, Amy Hau, and Lizan Highland, its director of people and culture. The employee was notified that they would no longer be allowed to wear the keffiyeh at work, employees alleged in an Instagram post.

Hau then reportedly told the employee that failure to comply with the new policy would result in being sent home, in addition to other potential disciplinary action. The attendant chose against removing the scarf and was sent home as a result. Employees said the attendant was the only person pulled into such a meeting despite other employees having worn the headscarf regularly.

On August 21, the museum moved to officially ban the keffiyeh. …