In the latest instance of intercultural tensions, a restaurant owner in the Paris suburb of Tremblay-en-France is facing an investigation after chasing two veiled Muslim women out of his premises on Saturday night.
His actions, caught on video, provoked a furious response and prompted prosecutors to open an inquiry.
The incident, filmed by one of the two women and posted online, shows the other saying; "We don't want to be served by racists".
The restaurateur responds: "Racists like me don't plant bombs and don't kill people."
He added that "terrorists are Muslim and all Muslims are terrorists. I don't want people like you in my place. Now you know it you can get out".
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Laurence Rossignol, French minister for families, children and women announced on Twitter the restaurant owner would be investigated for racial discrimination.
On Sunday, the boss of 'Le Cenacle' restaurant apologised for his actions as calls to boycott his establishment flooded social media sites alongside negative reviews.
He reportedly told a crowd gathered outside the restaurant he attributed his behaviour to recent tensions in France over the 'burkini ban' on the beach, and that his friend was one of the victims of last year's attack on the Bataclan theatre.
A source close to the investigation said that the proprietor had left his home along with his family for security reasons.
