The one-day private event was set up for Muslim women wearing burkinis-full-body swimsuits-and was scheduled for September 10 by Smile 13, a women’s association catering to Arabs in the southern port city.
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The scheduled event sparked outrage among some politicians and French citizens earlier this month because it was restricted to women wearing all-over swimming outfits often referred to as “burkinis”.
The group wrote on its Facebook page: “It’s with astonishment and regret that we have noted the extent of this controversy”.
The burkini day was due to be held next month at Speedwater Park in Les Pennes-Mirabeau, near Marseille, and was open to women and children, including boys under 10.
The waterpark initially said it “understands” why the plan “is of particular interest to the media during an emotionally hard period” in the wake of two jihadist attacks that rocked France last month, including an attack with a truck that killed 84 people as they celebrated Bastille Day in the Riviera resort of Nice.
“Extreme ideological positions are taking advantage of the controversy over this event to address conflicts in which Speedwater Park and the city of Pennes-Mirabeau do not wish to be involved”, the statement said.
“In common agreement, Speedwater Park and the City of Pennes-Mirabeau have thus chose to not proceed with the request of the association Smile 13”. As a private event, however, Smile 13’s Burkini pool party was entirely legal. According to the group they had received multiple threats against their staff including an envelope mailed to them which included several bullets, Le Figaro reports.
Organisers of a so-called “burkini party” at an indoor swimming pool in France have cancelled the event after they were sent bullets in the post.
The planned event was also attacked by Stephane Ravier, a mayor of two Marseille districts with the far-right Front National.
In a tweet, he described it as a “victory of the patriots”.
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Islamic dress is a hot-button issue in France, where the full-face veil is banned in public places. Flyers for the event reportedly asked attendees to cover themselves from chest to knees by wearing a “burkini”-a portmanteau of “burka” and “bikini” that nods to more conservative traditions”.
