Denmark bans wearing the burqa in public

Muslim community members outside the East London Mosque on | Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Denmark is the latest European country to pass a law banning face veils, outlawing the burqa and niqab worn by some Muslim women.

Parliament voted on Thursday for the law, proposed by the centre-right government, by 75 votes to 30, with 74 abstentions. It comes into effect on August 1.



Those who break the law could be fined 1,000 kroner (€134). The law does allow headscarves, turbans and Jewish skull caps to be worn.

Danish national radio reported that people will still be allowed to cover their face in certain circumstances, such as a costume party or pulling up a scarf during cold weather. It will be up to police to decide if a person’s face is “too covered.”

When the bill was proposed earlier this year, Denmark’s Justice Minister Søren Pape Poulsen said covering one’s face was “disrespectful” to others and “incompatible with the values in Danish society.”

In a statement, Amnesty International said a ban was neither “necessary nor proportionate” and accused Denmark of violating freedom of expression and freedom of religion.