Clear racism at Al Fayed's Harrods, former staff tell BBC

A recent investigation by the BBC has uncovered serious allegations of racism and discrimination at Harrods, the renowned department store in London, during the time when Mohamed Al Fayed was the owner. Former employees have come forward to share their experiences, revealing a troubling culture that existed within the store. Many black staff members reported that they would leave the shop floor before Al Fayed arrived, as they were given a warning ahead of time. A former security guard, who chose to remain anonymous, stated, 'The level of racism was very clear. ' This indicates that there was a systematic effort to remove certain employees from sight when Al Fayed was present. Another former employee, Lisa, explained that Al Fayed would often target individuals negatively, including those who were overweight. These revelations follow a BBC documentary and podcast that aired in September, where over 20 women accused Al Fayed of sexual assault and rape. In response to these allegations, Harrods referred to a previous statement expressing their shock and dismay at the abuse claims against Al Fayed, asserting that the organization is now very different from the one he controlled. The Metropolitan Police have also announced a new investigation after 90 additional alleged victims came forward. Henry, the former security guard, shared that there was a protocol in place to alert staff when Al Fayed was about to make his rounds in the store. He explained, 'There was a five-minute warning announced on guards' radios. ' This meant that black employees and others who did not fit a specific appearance would leave the shop floor in a coordinated manner. They would often exit through an underground tunnel that connected the main store to an office across the street, only to return once Al Fayed had left. Another anonymous staff member corroborated this, stating that many black employees would retreat to stockrooms or take tea breaks during Al Fayed's visits. Some women even felt pressured to apply makeup to enhance their appearance. Henry noted that the only staff members who remained on the shop floor were typically 'young, thin, blonde' women, although some non-white security guards stayed. Since the BBC's investigation aired, numerous accounts have emerged detailing Al Fayed's preference for women who fit this description. Lisa confirmed that security would issue warnings to staff about Al Fayed's impending arrival, but not to the women he was interested in. She remarked, 'We didn't want to keep losing staff. ' This highlights the fact that many skilled employees felt compelled to leave when Al Fayed was around. The BBC has also learned that staff members were frequently dismissed from their positions. Jon Brilliant, who worked in Al Fayed's private office for 18 months, described a culture of surveillance and distrust within Harrods. He stated that during his training, he was advised against investing in a monthly travel pass because 'you could be here today and you could be gone today. ' This reflects the insecurity that employees felt in their roles. Another former HR staff member, Anna, recounted a shocking incident where she was instructed not to hire anyone who was black, as it was believed that 'the customers wouldn't like it. ' She recalled a situation where the best candidate was a Caribbean man, but she was unable to hire him due to his race. Anna documented this in her recruitment notes but faced reprimand for doing so. Lisa also shared an experience where Al Fayed confronted her directly and used a racist term to describe the type of individuals he did not want her to hire. This illustrates the pervasive culture of racism that existed at Harrods during Al Fayed's ownership. Several employment tribunals were held during this time, with individuals claiming racial discrimination. Henry mentioned that while he did not personally witness any sexual assaults, he heard many rumors circulating among the staff. He stated, 'You can suspect all you want, but without having some proof… it's not evidence in court. ' Al Fayed had previously faced accusations of racism from Vanity Fair in 1995, which he vehemently denied. This led to a libel lawsuit that he later agreed to drop, provided that further evidence collected by the magazine was kept confidential. Even years after leaving his position, Henry expressed fear of retaliation from Al Fayed's former security team. He stated, 'Just a few things I said to you could cost me my life. ' Despite these fears, he encouraged other former staff members to come forward with their experiences. Harrods issued a statement condemning Al Fayed's actions, stating, 'These were the actions of an individual who was intent on abusing his power. ' They also acknowledged that the victims were failed during that time and offered a sincere apology. The statement concluded by emphasizing their commitment to ensuring that such behavior is never repeated in the future. For anyone affected by issues of racism or sexual assault, support and information are available from various organizations.