Dutch Burka Ban

[Boom_70]

Netherlands proposes to ban burkas
By Gregory Crouch
The New York Times
Five days before a national election here, the center-right government announced Friday that it planned to introduce legislation to ban burkas and similar garments in public places, saying the full- body garb worn by a small number of Muslim women in the Netherlands posed a grave security threat, both to the country's security forces and to its citizens.

The Netherlands has been considering such a move for months, in reaction to the burka and other clothing that hides the wearer's face and eyes. To some degree the government worries that a terrorist might put one on to get beyond security checks and carry out an attack.

The Dutch discussion is part of a larger European debate about how far governments can go in legislating what people - and specifically Muslim women and girls - can and cannot wear.

The fate of the proposal is highly uncertain. But if it should pass in Parliament, women would be prohibited from wearing burkas in a variety of public venues, including schools, trains, courts and even on the street.

"The cabinet finds it undesirable that face-covering clothing - including the burka - is worn in public

 

[alleyallen]

Five days before a national election here, the center-right government announced Friday that it planned to introduce legislation to ban burkas and similar garments in public places, saying the full- body garb worn by a small number of Muslim women in the Netherlands posed a grave security threat, both to the country's security forces and to its citizens.

Hmmm....concern about concealed weapons?

 

[buckweaver]

Just as a slightly related sidebar:

There are at least several towns I know of that passed laws banning masks -- and other facial covering -- in public, specifically in response to Klan rallies that were planned in those areas. I'm not sure if a) burqas would qualify under these laws, because burqas were never an issue in these towns; or b) if these laws were ever challenged and/or found unconstitutional. Some were passed fairly recently, though (in the 1990s.)

 

[PeteyPirate]

Just as a slightly related sidebar:

There are at least several towns I know of that passed laws banning masks -- and other facial covering -- in public, specifically in response to Klan rallies that were planned in those areas. I'm not sure if a) burqas would qualify under these laws, because burqas were never an issue in these towns; or b) if these laws were ever challenged and/or found unconstitutional. Some were passed fairly recently, though (in the 1990s.)

I think those laws would undoubtedly be struck down if someone could establish that it was part of his or her religion.