(Connexion) The mayor of a popular seaside town in south-east France has issued a decree banning the burkini from beaches, citing “hygiene and safety” reasons.
The burkini — a word that comes from “burqa” (a full-covering garment worn by some Muslim women) and “bikini” — is a type of swimming costume that covers the entire body, including arms, legs, and hair (but not the hands, feet, or face). It is sometimes worn by Muslim women who wish to swim but maintain what they see as modesty.
David Rachline, the mayor of Fréjus — situated between Cannes and Saint-Tropez — who is from the far-right party Rassemblement National, published a ban on the wearing of burkinis in the public seaside space in the town on Wednesday (August 2).
