Thread: Sadiq Khan condemns French burkini ban during visit to Paris

PUBLISHED: August 25, 2016 2:10 pm LAST UPDATED: August 25, 2016 3:10 pm

Sadiq Khan condemns French burkini ban during visit to Paris

The burkini ban imposed in parts of France has been condemned by London Mayor Sadiq Khan during a visit to Paris.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan speaks during a press conference at Station F in Paris, France, with Mayor of Paris Anne Hidalgo.

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Mr Khan said women should not be told what to wear as protesters campaigning against the ban staged a beach party outside the French Embassy in London.

The protesters, some carrying banners warning against Islamophobia, put up windbreaks and built sandcastles outside the embassy while campaigning under the slogan "wear what you want".

Mr Khan, who is a Muslim, waded into the row as he travelled to the French capital on his first official overseas visit.

"I'm quite firm on this. I don't think anyone should tell women what they can and can't wear. Full stop. It's as simple as that," he told the Evening Standard.

"I don't think it's right. I'm not saying we're perfect yet, but one of the joys of London is that we don't simply tolerate difference, we respect it, we embrace it, and we celebrate it."

In London, women gathered at a makeshift beach to protest against the ban by some French authorities on burkinis, a type of tunic with a headdress worn by some Muslim women to keep their bodies covered on the beach.

In France there are strict rules over religious dress.

Images of uniformed police appearing to require a woman to take off her tunic on a beach in Nice led to online anger about the ban, triggering the protest.

Critics who described the ban and the image of the police officer as "humiliating", gathered at the embassy, where they built a makeshift beach and wore different types of swimwear.

Organiser India Thorogood, 25, who planned the event less than 24 hours in advance via a Facebook group, said it is "unacceptable" that men should tell women what to wear, and that French authorities are specifically "targeting" Muslim women.

But the support was not unanimous, as the display was interrupted by a woman who stormed the "beach" and complained that campaigners for women's rights ought to focus more on education.

Nice was the scene of a bloody terrorist attack in July and the city's deputy mayor Rudy Salles defended the ban.

He said the burkini was "a provocation", telling BBC Radio 4's World at One: "When you see a burkini on the beach, people feel unsafe."

Mr Salles added that Catholic nuns would not be allowed to wear their habits on the beach in the resort.

But Esmat Jeraj, 27, who co-organised the protest, said: "People in France are understandably fearful, but people are conflating extremism with the religion of Islam and so women, who are the most obviously visible targets, are facing the brunt of this. French authorities are using Muslim women as a political football.

"The burkini ban is Islamophobic and misogynistic. It's an erosion of civil liberties."

Ms Thorogood also hit out at claims that the ban aims to combat religious dress rules that oppress women, adding: "It's like they are trying to say that some men somewhere are sometimes telling women what to wear - but in response the French state are telling women what to wear. Two wrongs don't make a right."

Esmat Jeraj added: "That image (of the woman derobing) made me sick to my stomach, and very frustrated."

Sadiq Khan condemns French burkini ban during visit to Paris « Express & Star

Protesters strip down outside French Embassy in burkini ban row as London mayor Sadiq Khan says 'Don't tell women what to wear' before Paris trip

Sadiq Khan made comments ahead of meeting Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo

Khan, London's first Muslim mayor, said he did not think the ban was 'right'

Women set up make-shift beach outside French Embassy in Knightsbridge

Beaches in South of France have banned burkini's after Nice terror attack

By ALEX MATTHEWS FOR MAILONLINE
PUBLISHED: 12:25 GMT, 25 August 2016 | UPDATED: 17:22 GMT, 25 August 2016

Women in bikinis took to the streets outside the French Embassy as London mayor Sadiq Khan slammed France's burkini ban.

While Khan, London's first Muslim mayor, dragged himself into the burkini debate, Muslim women emptied bags of sand outside the embassy in Knightsbridge and made their own make-shift beach.

The crowd, with young children in toe, were seen holding placards, chanting and posing in various states of undress as they made their voices heard.

Khan was another unafraid to speak out against the controversial move by French officials.

Prior to his trip to Paris to meet mayor Anne Hidalgo this morning, he told the Evening Standard: 'I don't think anyone should tell women what they can and can't wear. Full stop. It's as simple as that.

'I don't think it's right. I'm not saying we're perfect yet, but one of the joys of London is that we don't simply tolerate difference, we respect it, we embrace it, and we celebrate it.'

His comments come after a group of four police officers ordered a woman sunbathing on the Promenade des Anglais beach in Nice - yards from the scene of the Bastille Day lorry attack - to strip off.

In another incident a young Muslim mother was ordered off the beach at Cannes and fined for simply wearing a headscarf.

Three armed officers pointed a pepper spray canister in the 34-year-old's face and told her she was in breach of a new rule outlawing swimming costumes that cover the entire body

Sadiq Khan has slammed the French burkini ban as he arrives in Paris for a meeting with his
counterpart Anne Hidalgo (both pictured)

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Women of all backgrounds were at the protest to
campaign against the burkini ban

The scenes were in complete contrast to those on Brighton beach yesterday as Muslim women in traditional dress joined bathers in taking to the sea to cool off, as temperatures soared.

One of the protesters campaigning outside the embassy today was 27-year-old Muslim mother, Somaiia Khan,.

Standing with her daughter Nada, six, she admitted that she got 'very angry' when she saw shocking pictures of heavily armed French police confronting the bather in Nice.

She said: 'I think no woman should be told what she can and cannot wear.'

Dressed in a headscarf alongside her young daughter in a sunhat, said her message to the French authorities was: 'Don't be so racist against Muslims..'

Referring to the incident in Nice, she added: 'Her clothes were okay and they weren't even the proper hijab that Muslims wear.'

Protesters from all backgrounds passed around a beach ball to explain the reason they were making the stand outside the Embassy.


Pictured, police on Promenade des Anglais beach in Nice order a Muslim woman to strip off


Women dressed in traditional Islamic dress were seen paddling in the surf at Brighton beach yesterday
- a scene which was a far cry from the farcical situation unfolding in France

One shouted: 'Women should wear whatever the hell they want!'

Another said: 'I'm here because a Muslim woman was made to undress by a police officer.'

While the debate rages on both sides of the Channel, the highest administrative court in France is considering a legal appeal against the ban in one of the towns, Villeneuve-Loubet, near Nice in the south of France.

Khan is due to hold talks with Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo covering the impact of Britain's vote in June to leave the European Union as well as trade and security.


Khan and Hidalgo embrace as he arrives in the French capital for the summit, where the pair will
discuss the impact of Britain's decision to leave the EU

He said: 'I'm here in Paris to make it clear that London is open - open to the world, open to trade, open for new business ventures and collaborations, open to new ideas, new talent and people.'

France has been hit by several major attacks in recent months, including in Nice last month when 86 people died after a lorry was driven into crowds of people during celebrations on a national holiday.

The Islamic State group claimed the attack was conducted by one of its 'soldiers'.

Investigators have found no proof of driver Mohamed Lahouaiej Bouhlel's allegiance to IS but say he had a fascination with jihad and had planned the attack for months.

Protesters strip down outside French Embassy in burkini ban row as London mayor Sadiq Khan tells Parisians: 'Don't tell women what to wear'