Minneapolis, MN - Target Stores Muslim Cashiers Won't Ring Up Pork Products.

[habiru]

Minneapolis, MN - Beryl Dsouza was late and in no mood for delays when she stopped at a Target store after work two weeks ago for milk, bread and bacon.

So Dsouza was taken aback when the cashier - who had on the traditional headscarf worn by many Muslim women - refused to swipe the bacon through the checkout scanner.

"She made me scan the bacon. Then she opened the bag and made me put it in the bag," said Dsouza, 53. "It made me wonder why this person took a job as a cashier."

In the latest example of religious beliefs creating tension in the workplace, some Muslims in the Twin Cities are adhering to a strict interpretation of the Koran that prohibits the handling of pork products.

Target received angry mail and boycott threats. Target managers asked Muslim cashiers who refuse to handle pork to wear gloves or transfer to other areas of the stores. [amny]