Clothing

Conservative MEP launches petition to ban Islamic headscarves in European Parliament Charlie Weimers says he expects broad support for his initiative, but other lawmakers slammed it as sexist and Islamophobic.

(Politico) An EU lawmaker is campaigning to ban the use of the hijab and other Islamic headscarves by people who work for the legislature, according to an email circulated among all members of the European Parliament on Tuesday. Charlie Weimers, head of […]

Clothing

Reform UK edges closer to burka ban as Zia Yusuf sets record straight on ‘huge impediment to assimilation’ Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin has put pressure on Nigel Farage to make banning the burka a manifesto commitment

(GB News) Britain should ban the burka in public because it poses a “huge impediment to assimilation,” Reform UK’s head of policy Zia Yusuf has claimed. Zia Yusuf was quizzed on his position at a fringe meeting at the NEC just four […]

Academics & Education

Muslim group criticises minister’s view on face coverings in schools Minister of Social Security Sanni Grahn-Laasonen (NCP) said that face coverings such as burqas and niqabs are inappropriate at Finnish schools. The head of the Muslim Forum of Finland says the discussion is overblown.

(Yle) Since the start of the school year, Muslim students’ headscarves have become a political topic of conversation. On Tuesday, Social Security Minister Sanni Grahn-Laasonen (NCP) said in a social media post that the use of burkas and niqabs that cover the […]

Burkini

VOX pushes for national ban on Islamic veils in Spain The right-wing Spanish party says the veil 'violates the fundamental rights of women and is incompatible with our identity, culture, and customs.'

(European Conservative) Spain’s nationalist-conservative opposition party VOX has submitted a parliamentary motion urging a nationwide ban on all forms of Islamic veils — such as hijabs, niqabs, and burqas — in all public spaces. The party argues this move is essential to […]

Academics & Education

Islamism in Spain: The left denies it, the center-right runs from it A Madrid debate over banning the hijab laid bare the political cowardice that lets radical ideologies grow unchecked.

(European Conservative) The government of Spain has been shaken by reports uncovering the corruption of the Socialist Party. It is not a new situation; the Socialists have a long history of corruption as does the main opposition Popular Party, but the current […]

Academics & Education

Danish PM seeks to extend religious full-face veil ban to educational institutions Mette Frederiksen said on Thursday she was seeking to extend the 2018 niqab ban to educational institutions and remove prayer rooms, citing concerns about social control and oppression.

(Euronews) Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has called on Thursday for stricter measures limiting religious symbols and rituals in education, asking for a ban on full-coverage veils worn by some Muslim women to be extended to schools and universities. The country’s overall […]

Burkini

Catalan parliament rejects far-right motion on ban on Islamic veil Pro-independence Junts defends the ban in some cases but voted against text saying 'nothing is built from hatred'

(Catalan News) The Catalan parliament has rejected a motion by far-right pro-independence party Aliança Catalana for a ban on the different forms of Islamic veil in public spaces. The text only received the support of the conservative People’s Party and far-right Vox, […]

Academics & Education

From Spain to Sweden: European countries diverge on religious symbols in public office As Berlin reconsiders its controversial secularism policy, Europe continues to debate the limits of religious expression in public life.

(Euronews) In the heart of Germany’s capital, a heated political debate has reignited over the boundaries of religious freedom in the public sphere. The Bundestag’s Green Party group has submitted a motion to abolish Berlin’s Neutrality Act (“Neutralitätsgesetz”), a law that prohibits […]

Academics & Education

Quebec bill would extend religious symbols ban to school support workers, force students to uncover faces Headscarves prohibited for all school staff, parent volunteers under proposed legislation

(CBC) The Quebec government has put forward legislation that would extend the province’s ban on the wearing of religious symbols to support staff in schools, and prohibit students from having their faces covered. Under Bill 94, the ban would apply to all staff […]

Academics & Education

Quebec education minister suggests expanding religious symbol ban to some school support staff Bernard Drainville vowed to introduce new legislation to strengthen secularism in schools

(CBC) Quebec’s education minister said Friday the government is considering expanding its ban on religious symbols to include daycare supervisors and other school aides. Bernard Drainville told Radio-Canada’s Tout un matin he was concerned that there are some school staff members who […]

Children & Teens

Female British Isis terrorist complains about mugshot and forces police to issue second one as first picture showed her without head covering Farishta Jami was found guilty of two counts of engaging in conduct in preparation for terrorism

(GB News) West Midlands Police has reissued a mugshot of a convicted Islamic State terrorist after she complained about not wearing a niqab in the original photograph. Farishta Jami, 36, was found guilty of terrorism offences on Thursday for planning to fly […]

Academics & Education

Incoming Austrian government to crack down on those ‘unwilling to integrate’ As coalition talks continue, the fight against political Islam is the one area where the two parties are close to consensus.

(European Conservative) Negotiations between the right-wing Freedom Party (FPÖ) and the centre-right People’s Party (ÖVP) to form the next Austrian government have still not come to a conclusion, following a month of talks. The one issue both parties have come to an […]

Clothing

Switzerland’s burqa ban takes effect as of January 1 The question remains whether these laws are a step toward equality or a step backward in the protection of individual freedoms.

(Morocco World News) The controversial burqa ban has officially taken effect today, January 1, in Switzerland, prohibiting the wearing of full-face coverings in public spaces. The law, which passed through a nationwide referendum in 2021, echoes an ever-growing wave of restrictions and […]

Clothing

Finns Party MPs call for burka ban in public places Although supportive of the proposal, Interior Minister Mari Rantanen (Finns) told Yle it is unlikely to pass into law during this government's term in office.

(Yle) Finland’s interior minister, Mari Rantanen (Finns), has confirmed to Yle that she supports a proposal put forward by 14 of her party colleagues earlier this week calling for a ban on face coverings in public places. The proposal would effectively mean […]

Clothing

GP to be monitored by a ‘responsible officer’ after asking Muslim woman to remove veil Dr Keith Wolverson requested a patient to take off her niqab three times as he could not hear her describing her daughter’s symptoms

(GB News) A general practitioner is being forced to be monitored by a “responsible officer” after asking a Muslim woman to remove her veil. Dr Keith Wolverson was suspended for nine months after being found guilty of or admitting to a total […]

Clerics & Preachers

Muslim groups condemn Riikka Purra’s ‘black sacks’ blog comment Purra's 'black sacks' comment, made in 2019, presumably referred to burqas, the full-cover garments worn by some Muslim women.

(Yle) A total of 26 Muslim groups and organisations in Finland have issued a joint statement condemning a blog comment written in 2019 by the country’s finance minister, Riikka Purra (Finns). Purra’s comment, in Finnish but translated here in English, stated: “There […]

Clothing

Finland’s Islamic community demands government take concrete steps towards ‘zero tolerance’ of racism A total of 26 Islamic congregations and organisations signed the joint statement.

(Yle) A group of Islamic communities and organisations in Finland have issued a joint statement calling on the government to take concrete steps towards achieving “zero tolerance” on racism. “We call on the Finnish government and especially Prime Minister Petteri Orpo (NCP) […]