Only in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Saudi Arabia is everyone just fine with the face veil.
“Police Turn Down Jewelers” Demand,” by Shahid Raza Burney in Arab News, with thanks to Kemaste:
PUNE, 29 December 2006 “” Pune Police Commissioner Dhananjay Jadhav outright rejected the demand of the Maharashtra Jewelers Federation (MJF) to ban veiled women from entering jewelry shops in Maharashtra unless they reveal their identity and show their faces before the surveillance camera.
Rejecting the demand of the MJF the city police chief said that the police will not issue a “No Objection Certificate” (NOC) to the jewelers. He advised that the association should have taken into account the people’s sentiments before taking such a decision.
The president of the MJF Fatehchand Ranka had sought the permission from the state home minister, director general of police and the Pune police commissioner to allow the jewelers to display boards at the entrance of their shops banning the entry of veiled women, unless they revealed their faces.
The MJF”s demand evoked strong reactions from the clergy and members of the Muslim community. Female activist Razia Patel said that there were other ways to curb robberies in jewelry shops. “Such boards will hurt religious sentiments. It would simply deny a class of women customers,” she said.
Another activist Farouk Sayed said, “Wearing a veil is our tradition and forcing women to unveil their faces on camera is ridiculous. Moreover, this is not a foolproof method of security.” Salim Mohammed pointed out that this would not curb robberies. “Thieves will find other ways to rob a shop. Have the police been able to nab all the thieves who did not cover their faces,” he asked.