Muslim Woman Sues After Target Starbucks Barista Writes ‘ISIS’ On Cup Claiming Discrimination

A Muslim woman is accusing Target of discrimination after a receiving a drink order with “ISIS” written on it from an in-store Starbucks in Minnesota. The allegation was filed with the Minnesota Department of Human Rights on Monday by the 19-year-old woman, who chose to go only by her first name, Aishah.

Aishah received the cup on July 1 at the St. Paul-Midway Target. She said she told the barista her name slowly multiple times, and while she may have been muffled by a face mask, she said she believes there was “absolutely no way” such a mistake could have been made. Aishah had been wearing a hijab at the time.

While “Isis” can sometimes be a name, it is overwhelmingly known as an acronym for the “Islamic State of Iraq and Syria,” a prominent terrorist group. It is unclear based on the photo posted to social media if the spelling is meant to be all caps.

“The moment I saw it, I was overwhelmed with a lot of emotions,” the woman said. “I felt belittled and so humiliated. This is a word that shatters the Muslim reputation all over the world. I cannot believe that in this day and age, something like this can be considered acceptable. It isn't OK.”

According to a copy of the complaint obtained by CNN, the employee who wrote on the cup said she misheard the name. While attempting to address the situation at the time, Aishah said she was given a new drink and a $25 gift card, and later escorted from the store by security. She said she felt her “concerns were dismissed.”

The Council on American-Islamic Relations Minnesota Chapter (CAIR-MN), the group that filed the complaint on Aishah’s behalf, is calling for the two employees involved in the incident to be fired. When reached for comment, Starbucks declined, saying such locations are run entirely by Target.

“We have investigated the matter and believe that it was not a deliberate act but an unfortunate mistake that could have been avoided with a simple clarification,” a spokesperson for Target said. “We're taking appropriate actions with the team member, including additional training, to ensure this does not occur again.”

“The statement that came out from Target is just unfortunate,” Jaylani Hussein, executive director for CAIR-MN, said in response. “Now we know this is a bigger issue than a simple misunderstanding, because the entire corporation is apologizing for Islamophobia without taking action.”