French ‘burkini’ ban: secularism or security?
Tensions are high on the island of Corsica as more French towns issue bans on the so-called burkini.
A bikini or burkini? This is the debate that is going on across France at the moment.
It began with the cancellation of a “burkini” event at a water theme park in Marseilles.
Then just a few kilometres away from where the Nice attacks happened last month, the Riviera town of Cannes banned the full-body swimsuit on its public beaches.
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has expressed his support saying the swimsuit represents what he calls a provocation and an archaic vision.
While only a small number of women have reportedly been fined $43 for breaking the new rule, several other towns have followed suit.
On Sunday, four people were injured in the village of Sisco, in Corsica, during a brawl between locals and a group of women dressed in burkinis.
The incident led to a local rally where 500 people gathered in the island’s capital Bastia.
Is this about secularism or keeping France safe? And what does it mean for muslim communities across Europe?
Presenter: Folly Bah Thibault
Guests:
Jacques Myard – French Member of Parliament and member of the opposition Republicans party
Yasser Louati – Human Rights and Civil Liberties Activist and former head of International Relations for the Collective Against Islamophobia in France
Anne Giudicelli – Security Analyst, and founder of the security risk consultancy firm, Terrorisc