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Here’s why some businesses can deny you service – but others can’t
Under American law, a business owner has the right to refuse service to some customers. But federal and a lot of state laws say you can’t discriminate against customers based on factors such as race, religion, sex or national origin, said Alexandra Brodsky, a civil rights attorney at the National Women’s Law Center. Turning away Sanders because she’s President Trump’s press secretary gives the impression that public spaces and public businesses are not open to all, says David Cole, legal director at the American Civil Liberties Union. However, he notes, a business being uncivil or rude isn’t illegal.