Amsterdam
The Dutch government announced last week that it would outlaw the wearing of burqas and other Islamic face coverings in public. The ban is necessary for security reasons and to facilitate integration, the Justice Ministry said. Tensions have been high in the Netherlands since the 2004 murder of film director and Islam critic Theo van Gogh. Islamic leaders say that while only about 50 women in the country wear full-face coverings, the ban could further radicalize the country's 1 million Muslims. "This will just lead to more girls saying, 'Hey, I'm also going to wear a burqa as a protest,'" said Naima Azough, a liberal member of parliament.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
-
Today's political cartoons - October 13, 2024Sunday's cartoons - the swing of things, fear of facts, and more
-
5 timely cartoons about climate change denialCartoons Artists take on textbook trouble, bizarre beliefs, and more
-
Kris Kristofferson: the free-spirited country music star who studied at OxfordIn the Spotlight The songwriter, singer and film-star has died aged 88
