Suit: Store owner disparaged black, Middle Eastern customers

BOSTON – An upscale Boston clothing store owner accused of making disparaging remarks and denying service to a black man and a Middle Eastern woman has been sued by the state attorney general.

Democratic Attorney General Maura Healey’s lawsuit was filed Wednesday and says The Tannery owner Hicham Ali Hassan told a black customer he didn’t want his “kind” at the store and implied he didn’t have enough money to shop there.

The lawsuit says Hassan told a Middle Eastern woman he didn’t trust immigrants and loved President Donald Trump. It says he told her he’s glad the Republican president “is going to get rid of” immigrants.

A woman who answered the store’s phone said Hassan was unavailable and they had no comment.

The lawsuit seeks compensatory damages and civil penalties.

Trump says his illegal-immigration crackdown should keep the country safe.