France: Third Town Bans 'Burkini' from Beaches

Paris, 13 Dzulqa’dah 1437/16 August 2016 (MINA) – A Corsican village has become the third French town to issue a ban on the full-body swimsuit – known as ‘burkini’ – worn by some Muslim women.

Mayor of Sisco, Pierre-Ange Vivoni, told French television on Monday the burkini would be banned in the area from Tuesday.

The new ban in the Corsican village follows a fight on the beach on Saturday which was broken up by hundreds of riot police. Five people were injured, including a pregnant woman, according to local authorities.

Saturday’s violence was sparked after a tourist was seen taking pictures of women wearing burkinis. Some beach-goers of North African origin objected and clashed with other locals who came to defend the tourist, Vivoni told French broadcaster TF1 on Monday.

Also Read: ‘Izetbegovic Devoted His Life to Bosnia and Islam'

Sisco joins the Riviera resorts of Cannes and Villeneuve-Loubet which banned the full-body swimsuits last week.

The mayors of both towns argue that burkinis are a breach of France’s secular constitution.

A French court in Nice upheld the ban on Saturday.

The Collective Against Islamophobia in France (CCIF) said it would appeal against the decision in France’s highest administrative court. (T/R07/R01)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)