University student union bans sombreros for being ‘discriminatory’

A British university's student union has banned sombreros from their "Freshers' Fair" after a restaurant handed out the hats to students as part of a promotion. 

The University of East Anglia's student union staff asked Pedro's Tex Mex Cantino to stop handing out the sombreros, Mashable reported. They claimed the hats breached a policy on "discriminatory or stereotypical language or imagery."

Some on Twitter accused the UEASU of over-political correctness, while others referred to an event called "Pimp My Barrow" the student organization promotes near the end of spring semester, an event where students have been seen wearing sombreros. Others accused the group of allowing blackface and costumes that depicted African-American cultural tropes at the annual event. 

General manager of Pedro's, Matthew Ward, said the promotion was to celebrate Mexican culture.

“As we handed out the sombreros we were told it was ‘culturally indifferent,’ which we think is a shame because we are not doing anything to offend and we are just celebrating the culture,” he told the Guardian.

It wasn't clear if the discrimination policy was posted before or after the sombrero incident. 

Contact Kristen DeSilva at kdesilva@reviewjournal.com.  Find her on Twitter: @kristendesilva