The French political establishment backs the bans, however, from the Socialist Prime Minister Valls to far-right leader Marine Le Pen, who said on her blog that, “What is at stake is the soul of France”.
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A mayor on the French island of Corsica has become the third nationwide to announce a ban on burkinis, following weekend clashes allegedly sparked by a row over the full-body Islamic swimsuit.
Vivoni said on France-Info radio Monday that the ban in his town of Sisco is aimed at calming religious tensions and protecting Muslims.
Valls said the swimwear represents a “provocation” and an “archaic vision” that women are “immodest, impure, and that they should therefore be totally covered”.
The French cities of Cannes and Villeneuve-Loubet have also banned the burkini, arguing that the swimsuit defies French laws on secularism. “He also invokes the fight against terrorism, so he is basically saying a Muslim woman who wears a burkini is a terrorist”. Proponents say the laws preserve secular values and protect women from religious oppression.
Both the brawl and the consequent burkini ban have caused tensions to run high, leaving many people – both Corsican and Muslims – on edge.
The organizers, the Smile 13 group, which describes itself on Facebook as a sports and social event group for women and children, said they had received death threats, with one person even claiming they had received bullets in the mail.
‘That is not compatible with the values of France, ‘ Valls said.
The new ban in the Corsican village of Sisco comes after a massive brawl on Saturday between locals and families of North African origin.
Mr Alfano said he had to be “pragmatic because there are a million and a half Muslims in Italy that I certainly can not treat as terrorists or terrorist supporters” but also severe “because there is a difference between preaching and encouraging hatred and violence”. Three cars were burned, tires were slashed and as many as five people were taken to the hospital, the LA Times reported. The burkini “was created by Western Muslim women who wanted to conciliate their faith and desire to dress modestly with recreational activities”.
“1966 on French beaches: Put clothes on Madam, this is forbidden!”
He said he was not targeting Muslims but he wanted to get rid of what he called “Islamist fundamentalists” on the island.
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The women were all stopped by police in Cannes where a ban on the conservative swimming attire came into place on 28 July.
