Netherlands latest EU country to ban the burqa

The Netherlands today joined a number of other European nations -- and non-EU countries too -- in implementinga law requiring people to show their faces in public, when providing or accessing public services. Clothing that "covers the face" must not be worn in a variety of public spaces, such as schools, hospitals, public buildings and public transport. A similar law was recently passed by the National Assembly of the Canadian province of Québec.

Contrary to the fake news being spread by the usual gang of Islamophiles and SJWs, the ban does not target only Muslim women. It applies equally to men and women, and prohibits not only burqas and nijabs -- see "Hijab, niqab, burqa -- what's the difference?", WWW 28/7/10 -- but any full-face covering, such as a balaclava or motorcycle helmets. [What about a hockey goalie mask? Ed.] Anyone who doesn't comply can be denied access to public areas, and fined up to €150 ($167 in real money).

France was the first country in Europe to ban the veil almost ten years ago. Last year, however, a committee of the United Nations (of course!) ruled that the legislation violated human rights. In spite of the UN's predictable opinion, other European countries have followed suit. In Denmark, the burqa ban has been in effect for a year. And earlier this year, Austria passed a law intended to ban Muslim girls from wearing headscarves in primary schools. The headscarf ruling came in addition to Austria's prohibition of full-face coverings which has been in force since 2017.

The German state of Hesse has implemented similar burqa restrictions for the civil service. Six months ago, full-face coverings were forbidden at Kiel University in northern Germany, citing the need for open communication that includes facial expressions and gestures. However, some politicians (Hello, Angela Merkel!) came out against the move, saying it undermined religious freedom.

The most surprising imposition of a burqa ban comes, however, from the Islamic kingdom of Morocco! As reported in "Burqas banned in... you'll never guess!", WWW 17/1/17, because of concerns about... wait for it... security! A spokesthingy for the Moroccan Ministry of the Interior told AFP, "We have taken the step of completely banning the import, manufacture and marketing of this garment in all the cities and towns of the kingdom, since bandits have repeatedly used this garment to perpetrate their crimes." ("Bandits" is Arabic for "terrorists".)

What are the chances of a burqa ban being enacted in The Rest of Canada (Just In Trudeau, Prop.) or the Paranoid States of America? In today's political climate, where any proposal that smacks of "Islamophobia" is instantly condemned by all progressive, correct-thinking people as "racist" and "divisive", the chances of a burqa ban are slim and none.

Further reading (and viewing): "'Ordinary Muslim' sez banning the burqa makes sense", WWW 18/1/19 - video interview with Toronto Sun columnist Tarek Fatah.