Austrian Activists Protest Against Headscarf Ban in Vienna

Vienna, 18 Rabi’ul Akhir 1438/17 January 2017 (MINA) – A group of young activists gathered in Vienna on Monday to protest against a new regulation banning public servants, including teachers, from wearing headscarves.

Outside the University of Vienna, the protesters chanted slogans against the move and called for equality and freedom of religion for all.

The headscarf ban on public servants was drafted by Austrian Minister for Foreign Affairs and Integration Sebastian Kurz. Kurz said last week he wanted to ban civil servants from wearing the headscarf, IINA News reported.

Muslims, as well as socialist and liberal institutions, have been protesting against the ban since then. Muslimische Jugend Osterreich (Muslim Youth of Austria) spokesperson Canan Yaşar slammed the policy based on “women’s appearances.”

Addressing the crowd during the protest, Yaşar rejected claims that women wearing headscarves at work would make negative impressions.

She called it a “dismissive” attitude of Austria. “It is definitely unacceptable,” Sozialistische Jugend Osterreich (Socialist Youth of Austria) Fiona Herzog said.

She pointed out the ban involved only Muslims and that such a regulation would only serve political motives.(T/R04/RS05)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)