Burkini-clad woman forced to disrobe on French beach
In the photograph, three French policemen stand looming over a woman seated on a beach in Nice. The armed officers watch as she takes off her tunic, complying with a controversial ban on the burkini, the full-body swimsuit often worn by Muslim women.
The image emerged and spread widely online, sparking criticism over the burkini bans put in place in towns across the South of France this summer by officials who linked the garments to recent terrorist attacks in the nation.
The woman in the image had been resting Tuesday on Nice’s Promenade des Anglais beach before four officers confronted her over her garments, the Guardian reported. That same day, a mother of two on a beach in Cannes was reportedly fined for wearing a headscarf and leggings, according to the newspaper.
When Cannes issued the ban in July, its ordinance declared that swimsuits that manifested “religious affiliation in an ostentatious way, while France and its religious sites are currently the target of terrorist attacks, could create risks of trouble to public order.”
The fine during Cannes’ ban, which lasts through the end of this month, comes to about $42. The French community of Leucate, which includes a nude beach resort, announced a ban on burkinis last week.
Critics of such bans warn that laws ostracizing Muslims only play into the hands of terrorist groups France means to oppose, as Sara Silvestri, a City University London professor studying religion and politics, told CNN:
"The effect of these laws is that Muslims feel marginalized and in turn, the feeling of being unwelcome impacts their ability and willingness to integrate into society, can cause withdrawal and lead to engagement with radical groups.”
France became the first European nation to forbid face-covering burkas in 2011. Now Belgium and cities in Spain and Italy hold similar bans on traditional Muslim garments. Other nations, like Germany, are considering them.
Recent bans of burkinis, which do not cover the face, have sparked backlash and reportedly increased sales of the garment among Muslims and non-Muslims alike.
Aheda Zanetti, the Australian credited with creating the burkini, said the Cannes ban sparked a 200% increase in sales for the garment for her company, Ahiida.
Follow Josh Hafner on Twitter: @joshhafner