Worlds of Fun apologizes after employee asks woman to remove hijab before riding roller coaster

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A popular theme park is receiving backlash after videos were posted online, appearing to show an employee telling a woman she must her hijab off before she can ride a roller coaster.

In an official guest comment form filed with Worlds of Fun, Hadil Alqarini said she was seated on the Prowler roller coaster with her son around 9:20 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 13, when a park employee approached her.

Alqarini said the employee “told her that in order to ride, she must remove her ‘scarf’ (hijab).” She clarified that the hijab was for religious reasons and that she could not remove it, to which the employee reportedly told her she must purchase a hat and remove the scarf.

She also told the employee that she had been to the park before and had ridden several rides, including the Prowler, with no issue.

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As Alqarini got off the roller coaster, she said a park supervisor arrived and corrected the first employee, telling him that her hijab was secure enough to ride. Alqarini said the first employee approached her again and itted he was wrong. He asked if she wanted to go ahead and ride, but she declined.

Other guests waiting in line reportedly tried to get involved, telling the employee that the request for Alqarini to remove her hijab was discriminatory.

In response to the incident, Worlds of Fun issued a statement and apologized:

According to the guest comment form recorded that night, Worlds of Fun escalated the incident to Six Flags upper management and gave Alqarini free tickets and fast lane es for the next time she and her family attend the park.

On Monday, the Kansas chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Kansas) responded to the incident, saying the group “welcomed” Worlds of Fun’s apology.

What are Worlds of Fun’s policies?

The Prowler’s webpage has no specific rules or restrictions on clothing.

The Worlds of Fun general “FAQ” page only states that most rides cannot accommodate “loose articles” and does not specifically mention head scarves or other religious coverings:

There appears to be no posted dress code or policy related to religious protections at the park.

When asked to comment on the situation, Alqarini said her kids were given free day es, but “I’m not going back there.”

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