Two women in burkinis kicked off French beach, despite court ruling

A woman wearing a burkini walks in the water August 27, 2016 on a beach in Marseille, France, the day after the country’s highest administrative court suspended a ban on full-body burkini swimsuits that has outraged Muslims and opened divisions within the government, pending a definitive ruling. Cazeneuve said a state-wide block would be “unconstitutional, ineffective and likely to create antagonism and irreparable tension”.

Although the controversy over the burkini ban is far from over, leaders of France’s Muslim community hope that Monday’s conference will help decisively turn the page on the issue now that the ban has been overturned in at least one town. Cazeneuve admitted the court had “stated the law” with its ruling. Some mayors are refusing to rescind their bans, arguing that the head-to-ankle swimwear could disrupt public order after a summer marred by Islamic extremist attacks. But more than 20 mayors from other southern towns, which were expected to comply from the precedent set by the court, have ignored its decision.

Along with the economy, the relationship between France’s Muslims and non-Muslims has been a recurring theme as presidential hopefuls kick off campaigning for the April-May election.

Former President Nicolas Sarkozy who is staging a political comeback and is seeking the ticket of the conservative Les Republicains in primaries set for November, has called for a law allowing mayors to ban the burkini.

But speaking to French newspaper Le Croix, Mr Cazaneuve said it was unlikely this would come into place. “They think that in the current context of terror threats, we can abandon the fundamental principles of law as embodied in the Constitution”. This he said, means a law must be introduced to ban burkinis covering all of the beaches and swimming pools in France.

The two women were preparing to enjoy a family picnic in Nice when a police boat headed towards them and told them to leave.

“France needs healing and people coming together, not divisive outbursts by those contesting in primaries”, Cazeneuve said.