A NEW rule which bans wearing the burqa and niqab in public places has been approved in Cordoba.
The measure bans entry to municipal buildings for anyone whose face is covered in a way that prevents identification.
Examples mentioned include garments such as burka or niqab, although the final text avoids naming them directly.
READ MORE: Mallorca’s Palma becomes the latest area in Spain to ban the burqa in public buildings and spaces
The rule applies in administrative offices, education centres and any buildings owned by the city council.Â
Face coverings will still be permitted in certain situations, including for health reasons, work or protective gear, cultural or festive events, sporting activities and bad weather.
The measure was supported by the Partido Popular (PP) and Vox who say the rule ensures security in public buildings.
They say the rule is similar to the ban on wearing motorcycle helmets in public buildings.
A Vox spokesperson said this measure ‘is about guaranteeing security and ensuring that everyone is treated equally. It’s not about religion, it’s not about ideology.’
Left-wing parties and the Junta Islamica say the proposal targets Muslims and could be discriminatory.
Isabel Romero, President of the Junta Islamica said she could not understand ‘why motions of this type are being promoted in the institutions. Perhaps they want to single out a segment of the population as suspicious. That is Islamophobia, and its political use fosters hatred and discrimination.’
The move follows a ban on the burqa in public buildings in Palma de Mallorca and comes after a proposal to outlaw the garment on Spain’s streets was narrowly defeated in the Spanish Parliament.
The bill, put forward by the People’s Party (Spain) and Vox (Spain), would have introduced fines of up to €30,000 for repeat offenders who continued to wear an Islamic face covering.
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