Barcelona Bans Burqa From City Hall

Barcelona said Monday it will ban face-covering Islamic veils in municipal buildings, the latest Spanish city hall to crack down on the use of such garments in public, as much of Europe considers following suit.

City Mayor Jordi Hereu insisted the measure was not specifically anti-religious, saying it was aimed at all dress that impeded identification and included motorcycle helmets and ski masks.

"You can't enter a town hall office and not be able to be identified," he said. "In no way does it target religious belief."

The ban would also hold in public kindergartens, music schools, social services offices and public markets.

Authorities in several European countries have been debating regulating the use of body-covering burqas or face-covering niqab garments.

Belgium's lower house has enacted a ban on the face-covering veil, though it must be ratified by the upper chamber, and France has begun similar legislation.

Netherlands debated banning burqas four years ago and may yet outlaw attire that is considered as demeaning to women.

Even Britain, home to millions of migrants from former colonies, is questioning its strong multicultural traditions.

Some countries have broadened the debate to cover other Islamic traditions, as demonstrated by a recent referendum in Switzerland to outlaw erecting minarets to broadcast Muslim calls to prayer.

Out of a population of 47 million, Spain has one million Muslims and for the moment has no plans to ban the burqa or niqab nationally.

Justice Minister Francisco Caamano said recently that although use of the burqa in Spain was not a major problem, the issue affected women's rights.

"We have to defend women's dignity and the burqa and similar garments - regardless of the religion they are from - that do not permit identification of the wearer, affect the dignity of that person, and in this case women," he told reporters.

Spain is currently drawing up new legislation on religious liberty to better reflect the makeup of its population but it is not known whether it will curtail use of such veils.

Barcelona town hall said Monday's measure was largely symbolic as it was unusual to see women wearing burqas or niqabs in the city, which has a 1.5 million population.

The conservative opposition Popular Party in the city said the ban should be extended to all public places.

But Esteban Beltran of Amnesty International's Spanish branch said such bans violate religious liberties.

Lleida, also in the Spanish region of Catalonia, last month became the first Spanish city to regulate use of burqas and niqab.

Since then a several smaller towns have said they plan to bring in similar legislation.
By Associated Press Writer Ciaran Giles