The ban was solely symbolic anyway: a statement that France would defend its own culture against Islamic supremacism, without actually addressing or countering Islamic supremacism itself. And so it is no surprise, given the toothless nature of the measure in the first place, that the French wouldn’t be enforcing it.
“French ban on Islamic veil turns out to be toothless,” by Andrew Chung for the Toronto Star, March 31:
VÉNISSIEUX, FRANCE””It’s an unusually warm, spring morning in Venissieux, a downtrodden suburb of Lyon, and Fadela, 23, covered from head to toe in a black niqab, her black gloves adorned with elegant flower stitching, is walking with her friend Najet to the discount market called Ed.
A police car passes but does not stop. Fadela says that’s not unusual. “This is a sensitive neighbourhood,” she surmised. “It”d be a problem for the police.”
In fact, Fadela, who agreed to be interviewed on condition her real name not be used, said police have never told her to uncover her face.
Nearly one year after France implemented its controversial ban on wearing the Islamic veil”” a niqab or burka “” in public, a surprising fact has emerged. It appears that few women have actually removed their veils to obey the law….
Fadela says that in the past, she used to party and wear miniskirts. But now she is “at peace.” And in her neighbourhood, she’s never bothered by authorities.
However, just a few days ago she was ordered to remove her veil at Lyon’s main airport, and when she put it back on afterwards, she was “chased and screamed at” by personnel there. They recorded her name and let her go.
“I felt heartsick,” Fadela said. “But this is France. It’s like that.”