Clash of civilizations alert from New Zealand, via Reuters, with thanks to Mathew:
WELLINGTON – New Zealand’s police union wants to ban Muslim women wearing burqas from driving for safety reasons and also because criminals may start using burqas to hide their identity, local media reported on Wednesday.
“We deal with criminals who will very quickly cotton on to the fact that it’s to their advantage to be driving around wearing burqas,” Police Association president Greg O”Connor told domestic newsagency New Zealand Press Association (NZPA).
The call for a ban follows a new police policy on burqas which stipulates that women police officers should be responsible for confirming the identity of Muslim women wearing burqas, as they can not reveal their faces to men under Islamic culture.
O”Connor said all motorists should be treated equally and drivers should not hide their identity.