Muslim women in Denmark protest against ban on full-face veils

Muslim women in Denmark protest against the ban on full-face veils.

Huffington Post reports that the women and their allies were protesting against the ban on wearing face veils in public which just took effect.

The ban, which was passed in May, took effect on Wednesday, August 1, 2018. Following this new law, first-time offenders face a fine of 1,000 kroner (around $150) while repeated offenses could lead to fines of up to 10,000 kroner (around $1,500) including a jail sentence of up to six months.

Muslim women protest

On the same day, the ban took effect, women took to the streets of the capital city of Copenhagen and Aarhus, Denmark's second-largest city.

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They marched from Norrebro to the Bellahoj police station on the outskirts of the city in order to show their condemnation of this new law, which many say goes against women's rights to freedom of expression and religion.

At the protest, Reuters reports that many defied the new ban by wearing one of the prohibited veils - the niqab, which covers every part of the face apart from the eyes.

The body-length burqa - a veil that covers the eyes with a mesh screen - was also spotted on some of the protesters. Others chose not to wear face veils.

Despite the new law, Danish police say none of the protesters with face veils will be arrested as wearing a veil during a peaceful protest is exempt from the ban.

Denmark joins the growing list of countries like France, Austria, and Belgiumthat have placed restrictions on wearing Islamic face veils in public.