A waterpark in France is to be booked out for one day to Muslim women wanting to wear “burkinis” – but the decision has led to criticism by politicians on the right.
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But the group has received several messages of support for their event on its Facebook group, with women from the United Kingdom even saying they wish the idea would travel over here.
A Muslim women’s association with 200 members in north Marseille has sparked a national controversy by organising a “burkini day” in a privately-owned aquatic centre.
A far right French mayor has threatened to ban a “burkini party” organised at a local swimming pool.
Michel Amiel, the mayor of Les Pennes-Mirabeau, said he was “shocked and angry” after learning of the event.
Women interested in attending the so-called burkini day at Speedwater Park on the September 17 are not allowed to turn up in a two-piece swimsuit and “must be covered from the chest to the knees”. “The pool park has exceptionally allowed bathers to wear burqinis and jilbab de bains”.
“I am making a municipal decree forbidding this event because it represents a threat to public order”, Amiel said.
“Accepting this so-called fashion means we accept communalism in our country”, said Valerie Boyer, the center-right mayor of two Marseille districts. There will be male lifeguards at Speedwater Park. Two laws, a ban on head scarves in classrooms in 2004 and on face veils in streets in 2010, aim to keep religious symbols out of public life. There are about five million Muslims living in France, the largest Muslim minority in western Europe.
“However, it’s also a question of the woman’s dignity, a question of our most fundamental principles”.
On Thursday however, the park added another twist to the story by saying that they had no booking from Smile 13 for the date listed on the Facebook page and posters and that they could not guarantee the event would go ahead without a fixed booking.
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“This is not harmless: The battle of “the veil” is a strong sign showing that fundamentalists want to mark their territory and put women under control”.
