No fines for niqab wearers but Muslim women report more verbal attacks

(Dutch News) In the two months since the burqa ban was introduced in the Netherlands, no-one has been fined but there has been an increase in aggression targeting Muslim women, broadcaster RTL said on Thursday.

So far, public transport workers have made 35 reports of women wearing niqabs in buses, trams or trains and in two cases the police were called, the paper said. The Dutch hospital association has reported no incidents.

MPs are due to debate the implementation of the law, which came into effect on August 1, later on Thursday. MPs from the ruling VVD and Christian Democrats want the government to get tougher on women breaking the law, and say street wardens should also be given the power to issue fines.

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