France’s Senate has overwhelmingly approved a bill that would ban wearing the Islamic full veil in public. The proposed measure was already backed by the lower house of parliament, the National Assembly, in July. The ban will come into force in six months’ time if it is not overturned by constitutional judges. The ban has strong public support, but critics point out that only a tiny minority of French Muslims wear the full veil.
President Nicolas Sarkozy has backed the ban as part of a wider debate on French identity but opponents say the government is pandering to far-right voters.
Spain and Belgium are debating similar legislation, and with such large-scale immigration in the past 20 or 30 years, identity has become a popular theme across Europe, correspondents say.
On Tuesday, the Senate voted 246 to 1 in favour of the bill.
It will be now sent immediately to France’s Constitutional Council watchdog, which has a month to confirm its legality. Another challenge is possible at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, where decisions are binding.
There are estimated to be only about 2,000 women wearing the full veil in France. The bill makes it illegal to wear garments such as the niqab or burka, which incorporate a full-face veil, anywhere in public. It envisages fines of 150 euros (£119) for women who break the law and 30,000 euros and a one-year jail term for men who force their wives to wear the burka.
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(Source: BBC)
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15 Responses
Imagine if they passed a bill that jewish women couldn’t cover their hair, or men wear yarmulkahs? My friends I know a lot of us are very happy there is anti-muslim sentiment in the world, but if we don’t stick up for them, who will stick up for us???
In the US such a law would be unconstitutional (as would a prohibition of yarmulkes, or modest clothing, etc.). One sees here the difference between American “Freedom of religion” as opposed to the European “Freedom from religion”.
Jewish headcoverings are next.
I think that there is a big difference between a yarmulka or shaitel & a full face covering. Full face covering s are a security threat while just a head covering is not. If somebody commits a crime with a head covering you can still ID them as opposed to full face covering where you cant. I wouldn’t rush to say that this ban will lead to any further bans on religious garbs
This has nothing got to do with religious articles, this is an identity issue so some terrorists don’t hide behind them, jewish headcoverings are the same as wearing a baseball cap or being like the amish…
You have the freedom of religion in France! Arabs girl are still allowed to cover their hair, just a niquab or burka it’s shocking kids, it’s dangerous because anyone could be under it and do whatever he or she wants so this law is a good thing!!
THIS LAW AND PEOPLE ARE RACIST. THE TINY PEICE OF CLOTH DOESNT HURT ANYONE AT ALL IN ANY WAY. every individual has the right to wear it. now these people will fall who pass this law as it is only a manifestation of larger problem, injustice cannot stand. let these racists only hurt themselves in 10 years, and in 100 years and in 1000 years it will be inverted and they collapse from weakness into oblivion.
YW Moderator-105
I agree 100%. I dont know why everyone thinks Jews are next.
This is not about being anti Muslim because if anything they would pick on Jews first if they were looking for a scapegoat.
It has little to do with security. Burkas go against core French values — which are the opposite of “kedoshim tihyu”.
there is a reason that they are targeting the muslims, they are the ones who commit terrorist attacks or any other act of violence. this has nothing to do w/religion, this is a way of preventing terror.
If the issue were simply one of security, they would ban any kind of face covering, such as a full-face mask. I think this is just another example of French xenophobia. The French just deported hundreds of Roma in a move that’s of doubtful legality.
#11,
Deporting unpopular minorites is nothing new for France. See the Huguenots in the 17th century and Jews during WW2. While there have always been notable French citizens who stood up for Jews (see Zola and Clemenceau during the Dreyfus affair) they have not always been the ones in power.
Tony Blair said yesterday that Europe caved in at every opportunity to the yishmaelim ym”sh and now they are taking some of that back.
While I have no particular love for full face veils, I fear that France may have started down a very slippery slope.
Despite the rationalization and differences, if they ban one type of religous dress, it becomes easier to ban others.
Surely some misguided fool will say that completely covered limbs encourage concealed bombs, or worde.
Kol Ha’Kovod!