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THE NETHERLANDS HAS banned the wearing of a face-covering veil, such as a burqa or niqab, in public buildings and on transport from today as a contentious law on the garment worn by some Muslim women came into force.
Between 200 and 400 women are estimated to wear a burqa or niqab in the country of 17 million people.
After more than a decade of political debate on the subject, the Dutch legislation was passed in June 2018.
Far-right politician Geert Wilders had proposed the face-covering veil ban back in 2005.
“I believe we should now try to take it to the next step,” Wilders wrote in a tweet today, urging that the simple headscarf should be banned as well.
The Dutch interior ministry issued a statement saying: “From now on the wearing of clothing which covers the face is banned in educational facilities, public institutions and buildings, as well as hospitals and public transport.”
People must be recognisable in public spaces. That means the ban also applies to face-covering helmets or hoods. Those not adhering to the ban can be punishable by a fine of €150.
The Dutch law does not ban the wearing of a burqa on the street, unlike France’s ban which took effect in 2010.
Other European countries such as Belgium, Denmark and Austria have similar laws.
‘Cannot be enforced’
The move appeared to be unpopular with the general public in the Netherlands.
“Ridiculous. I find it ridiculous. You should respect each other’s values and I think it’s the dumbest rule they ever thought of,” one woman told AFP.
Another man agreed. “I think it’s a bad law… because it cannot be enforced. It’s a mix-up between combatting terrorism and Islam and religion,” he said.
A second woman said people “should have this freedom to wear whatever we want, to express ourselves just through the way that we look”.
However, one woman said she was in favour of the ban ”because you cannot see who is behind it (the burqa). If somebody covers themselves from heat to toe and covers their face, then it is a threat”.
Not a priority
For the ban to be enforced, the interior ministry said it was instructing school, hospital and transport staff to refuse entry to women wearing a veil. And if the woman refuses to comply, then “they can call the police”.
But the police, who frequently call for more resources from the government, said they did not regard enforcing the ban as “an absolute priority”.
The public transport authorities said bus, tram and metro drivers would not stop to ask a burqa-clad woman to leave or wait for police to arrive, as that would lead to delays.
“Drivers can very well decide not to say anything,” said the head of the OVNL public transport association, Pedro Peters.
Hospitals also said they would still treat people regardless of what they are wearing.
Last year, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said Ireland would not ban the wearing of the burqa in public.
“We are not proposing any burqa bans or any legislation on what people can or can’t wear on their heads – so short answer is [there are] no plans to do that,” Varadkar said.
Varadkar said Ireland would not be following in the footsteps of some other jurisdictions, stating:
My view on it… I don’t like it but I think people are entitled to wear what they want to wear.
I believe in the freedom of religion. I don’t agree with the doctrine of every religion or necessarily any religion, but I do believe in the freedom of religion.
The Taoiseach said “religions make their own laws”, indicating that he would not be using his power to weigh in on such matters.
“There is a big difference in saying what you think should be done and whether you are going to use the power of the law to enforce it,” he said.
Includes reporting by Christina Finn and © AFP 2019
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While it’s great to respect people’s different values and cultures common sense dictates it should be banned. We have laws in place to stop people from walking around naked to protect others (mainly children) and we have laws that we can’t wear a face covering in shops and banks etc. These laws are for everyones protection.
@Rachel O’ Meara: Hear, hear! I look forward to seeing the nuns in their bikinis at The Forty Foot next weekend!
@Graham Wilson: what part of the face does a habit cover?
@Daragh Ó Tuama: the jowls, the sexiest part of every nun! Pp
@Graham Wilson: you can see a nuns face
@Graham Wilson: Q: Is it OK to kiss a nun? A: Yes, so long as you don’t get into the habit.
Should be done here asap
@Joe: Why?
@Joe: exactly right it’s a male domination tool over women, just because it has become accepted does not mean it is right
@Cian Nolan: because I’d like to
know if I’m standing beside Lisa Smith.
@happinessnow: comment of the week.brilliant.
@Cian Nolan: why not ?
@Cian Nolan: to prevent radicals from coming here?
@happinessnow: Or even for the same reason as France or Holland, five year olds favourite question, Why?
@Cian Nolan: in any Islamic country of which there are many you wouldn’t expect that country to automatically respect my desire to wear a mini skirt when this is not the culture of that country, why do Muslims come to non Muslim countries and expect we should always make changes to suit them.
@Philip Siggins: that has to be the stupidest argument ever
This is simple.. Burkas etc are new culture and come mainly come from wahhabism..
Look at photos from Iran in the 80s, women dressed liberally. Go to Palestine, women dress liberally they also drink and smoke in public. I spent some time in Indonesia, I had a friend who loves Western culture. He insisted his family spoke English,they ate western food. His wife wore a hijab.. I once decided to ask him about it and he laughed saying this is not my doing, I love my wife’s hair, but she looks beautiful either way. She wears them because of social pressure and now my daughters are starting to wear them too.
My personal belief is that they should not be accepted in Europe. They just force conservatism. If I travel to a Muslim country with my girlfriend, she covers up as needed, their country their rules. If she is not happy with their rules, we don’t go. Same applies to people coming to Europe. Burkas etc are not in our culture and we should not feel apologetic to say no.
@Wreck Tangle: I couldn’t of put it better myself honestly
@Sarah Breslin: You could HAVE.
@Graham Wilson: Oh touché. Magnifique!
@Graham Wilson: I suppose you can then?
@Graham Wilson: No she couldn’t Wreck Tangle was bang on the money with that comment.
@Sarah Breslin: He just did;)
@Wreck Tangle: Exactly!
I’ve researched the niqab / hijab quite a bit over the last few years. The first thing I went looking for were references to women’s clothing in the Qu’ran, there were none. The second thing I considered was, “What if the women wanted to wear it?”, I entertained the idea but couldn’t imagine a single reason why a woman would want to be hidden in such an oppressive manner. There really is no justification for either garment, why don’t the men wear it for one day a year?
@Graham Wilson: The men don’t like other men looking at their wimin.
@Disco Pants: *Waves (slowly) at Alex Jones / Disco Pants* *Hear’s a cuckoo in the background, “CUCKOO, CUCKOO!”
I’m gona go into my local bank tomorrow with a balaclava on, see how that goes down. It’s simple our country our rules the same as we have to abide by other country’s rules.
@Stephen Walshe: it’s only a matter of time when armed robberies and shootingbmay take place with people wearing Burkas
@Stephen Walshe: balaclavas have historical meaning in our country, thats why you might be stopped with it on in a bank. Yes…our country our rules….at the moment we dont have a rule about this kind of attire
This is only right
@Marty: of centre?
Good
The biased reporting here claims most people in the Netherlands seem to oppose it, while all polls across Europe consistently show majority support for banning the burqa and the niqab.
Covering one’s identity in public is dangerous, period.
@Manuel Moreira: how is it dangerous? I personally would like this law in place but you start off with “biased reporting ” and then make absurd claims. Hiding ones face is not dangerous, it means surveillance is less accurate but we can go down a slippery slope with that
Of course it should be banned try walking into a public building with a motorcycle helmet, it’s banned.
Irelands made great strides for equality in the last decade. Why would or should we allow a situation where one small minority still thinks it’s ok to allow women to be treated as second class citizens. No way should it be tolerated
@Alan: well the irish government treat some women as 2nd class citizens by denying them the right to a full pension because they stayed at home to look after their kids or sick relatives – and its is being tolerated !
Ban it now, Europe is been overtaken by them. When in Rome do what the Romans do.
Go to Saudi without one and see what happens.
@conor Murphy: ahh yes conor, lets try to be more and more like SA…cause thats what you are trying to stop us being like…but the you say be more like SA….help conor im in a loop!
I remember being in the happiest place on earth, while walking down main street in 30 degree heat, a woman was covered in the burqa while the male beside her in trendy Nike shorts and top. Also went to a water park and a woman had a burka swimsuit. I had to double take at that one.
@MitchConnor: ed Byrne?
Ireland should follow some countries already banned for reason terrorist man hide wear burka
@Brian Flavin: ooh , words say i good now
Dutch cops are saying they’re ignoring the ban cause theyve more important things to be doing .
@Ibhar Mac Suibhne: Dutch cops seem to have some bit of common sense but the legislatures seem to have none, especially considering only 1 in every 50,000 people seem to wear either garment
@Ibhar Mac Suibhne: it can’t be enforced. They’d be doing nothing else if cops were to stop people with their faces / heads covered. Forget about Wikders, he’s just a clown with a ridiculous agenda.
@Ibhar Mac Suibhne: which other democratically passed laws should the police ignore?
@León O’Keeffe: call back in ten years time and check the numbers.
They breed like flees.
@conor Murphy: Wasn’t too long ago when people said the same about us Irish.
@conor Murphy: yeah? But most Muslims I’ve met, religious or otherwise, can spell and don’t casually dehumanise people
@conor Murphy: every sperm is sacred ….
Would a punishment like beheading be appropriate?
I don’t like them as some women maybe forced into wearing one, however some may choose to wear it. Personally I find it difficult enough to talk to some one wearing sunglasses if I can’t see their eyes.
If the Netherlands has done the reserch and found most are made to wear , grand it’s oppressive ban it.
However I don’t recall any attacks in the western world of burka wearing terrorists, so giving that as a reason is poor form, it definitely would hinder assimilation on the other hand which is wrong.
It’s a rough call as it’s a person’s right to choose
@John Walsh: Does a person have a right to choose to wear a motorcycle helmet in a shop ,bank or hospital?
@John Walsh:
https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/video/2013/nov/04/terror-suspect-mohammed-ahmed-burqa-cctv-video
@Marg FitzGerald: i remember a movie where a cross around the neck was used as a cocaine holder (pretty intelligent)
Ban all crosses.
Not before time….
“Far right” means these are not your leftist views so lets label them so people dont have to think and just have to reject them
@Josh Gilman: no….far right means something else. You go read a book now. Come back later
It’s not just a matter of security. If people insist on wearing burkas in Europe, they isolate themselves from society. They should live in a Muslim country, where they would feel at home. These scary costumes are neither wanted nor needed in civilised countries.
Security reasons aside, I don’t get why anybody would wear a burka in Europe.
@Richard Patrick Keenan: why dont you ask someone ?
People wearing burkas are not a security threat. People wearing motorbike helmets have been, numerous times.
Cars/vans/trucks have been used more than burkas by terrorists to attack the UK and Europe, to maim and kill civilians, to attack crowds and politically important buildings. Any calls to ban their use on these grounds?
How would the rethroic look on here if it were scull caps.. oh wait people like you tried that once.
@LUCY Thomas:
Didn’t realise skull caps were supposed to cover the face – everyone I’ve seen must be wearing them wrong…
@LUCY Thomas: Never saw a skull cap yet cover your face, you muppet
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