Paris restaurant turns away single black female

One of Paris's most famous restaurants has been accused of "racist sexism" after it refused to serve an unaccompanied black woman.

Backed by equal rights campaigners SOS Racisme, French-born Nadine Diatta from Senegal has now launched a private prosecution against Fouquet's, the 100-year-old brasserie on the Champs Elysées. Fifty leaflet-wielding demonstrators targeted the restaurant's customers on Saturday.

The 40-year-old business executive had planned to meet a female friend at Fouquet's but said she was refused entry by the doorman when she arrived alone. When her friend arrived, both were told they were "undesirables" and turned away.

Restaurant manager Yvan Levaux admitted there was a new door policy, but said it was aimed at screening out undesirable clients rather than women arriving without men.