Denmark appears to be ready to restrict the face-covering veils worn by some Muslim women, according to a report in the Independent.
Most parties in the Danish parliament have endorsed a ban on facial coverings. If passed, Denmark would join France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Bulgaria and the German state of Bavaria in outlawing the use of full and partial veils.
In response to questions of whether outlawing the wearing of burqas or nijabs would violate religious liberties, proponents of a ban cited the security concerns raised by face-covering clothing.
“This is not a ban on religious clothing, this is a ban on masking,” Jacob Ellemann-Jensen, spokesman for the Liberal Party said, according to the report. The Liberal party leads the center-right governing coalition in Denmark’s parliament.
Wearing masks at public assemblies is illegal in Denmark, punishable by a fine or up to six months imprisonment.
Denmark’s largest party, the opposition Social Democrats, have also indicated that they would support a ban on face covering veils because they view them as oppressing women, reported the Independent.
“We are ready to ban the burqa if that is what it takes … But there are some dilemmas, not least with regards to how such a ban would be enforced,” said the Social Democrats’ leader Mette Fredriksen.
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