Woman in hijab alleges racial profiling at Sen. Cory Booker event

Woman alleges racial profiling at Sen. Cory Booker event

A tense confrontation outside a Decatur church has led to allegations of racial profiling after a woman wearing a hijab was barred from a high-profile Democratic event Friday.

DECATUR, Ga. - A tense confrontation outside a Decatur church has led to allegations of racial profiling after a Stone Mountain woman wearing a hijab was barred from a high-profile event Friday.

Jawahir Sharwany, who is Muslim, says she was denied entry to the event despite having paid for a ticket.

Witnesses said Sharwany, who was wearing a hijab and a T-shirt critical of Israel, was singled out. 

"I saw a woman very calmly, very peacefully standing in line, waiting to see the same thing I was seeing," Amy Paulder, a Decatur resident also in line, said. "And [then she was] stopped for no reason."

Paulder declined to go in and stood up for Sharwany. 

What we know:

The event at the church on Friday was in promotion of Sen. Booker's new book. 

Sen. Raphael Warnock was also there. 

Sharwany said security approached her after she had screened her for weapons. 

"This security officer, he approached me when I was in the line, and he said, you can't go in there," Sharwany said. "I'm not doing anything. Why aren't you letting me in there?"

Sharwanty was wearing a shirt that said: "Stop Arming Israel."

While she is a familiar face at many metro Atlanta protests, she said she was there to listen.

Paulder thinks that regardless of Sharwany's beliefs, she should have been allowed in.

"No one else had a hijab on. She was stopped. The police were called. I don't know whether I agree with her," Amy Paulder, an event attendee, said. "I don't agree with her on many of her causes. I did see something that I thought was fundamentally wrong." 

What they're saying:

"I paid $60 to come in here and get my book signed," Sharwany is heard on cell phone video telling the guard.

"If she can't go in, then we won't go in," bystanders said.

While Sharwany says her ticket was refunded, she felt violated and humiliated by security and hopes this moment will start a conversation.

"He has no right," Sharwany said. "And he's standing in the front of the church, in front of the House of God. What makes you do this?"

The other side:

In the video, you can hear a Decatur police officer giving her an ultimatum.

"You remaining on this property is not legal," the officer in the video said. "And if you don't leave soon, I will have to trespass you."

A lieutenant with Decatur police confirmed they responded and said since everyone complied, no one was arrested and there was no further investigation.

Meanwhile, an aide for Booker's office said "admittance and security issues" were handled by the venue. 

Neither the church nor the private security company has responded to our questions.

Booker's aide said the senator was unaware of the incident but supported everyone's right to free speech.

Spokespeople for Sen. Warnock, who was also in attendance, did not return multiple requests for comment.