Muslim women defy French burkini ban and go swimming fully-clothed in protest (before being fined £30)
- Jean Bron swimming pool, Grenoble is among many in France that ban burkinis
- The protest was part of action by the group Citizen Alliance of Grenoble
- The women received a £30 fine from police after they were called by pool staff
Muslim women have defied a ban on wearing ‘burkinis’ in a local swimming pool in France.
The Jean Bron swimming pool in Grenoble is among many in the country that ban burkinis – a full body bikini – but ‘Operation burkini’ saw a group of activists break the rule and bathe for an hour.
It was part of action by the group Citizen Alliance of Grenoble who say it’s a Muslim women’s right to bathe in the controversial garment.
The Jean Bron swimming pool in Grenoble is among many in the country that ban burkinis but this group of Muslim and non Muslim men and women bathed anyway as a protest
Two of the women involved said: ‘We have a dream: to have fun in public swimming pools like all other citizens’. Those who entered in burkinis were fined£30 by police
The action saw many people in the pool cheer the seven women but it did result in a £30 fine from police after they were called by pool staff, according to France Bleu.
The publication also reported that the women were given a verbal warning after their fine.
Speaking to the BBC, two of the women involved said: ‘We have a dream: to have fun in public swimming pools like all other citizens, to accompany our children whenever they want to have a swim while it is very hot in the summer here in Grenoble.
The move was part of action by the group Citizen Alliance of Grenoble who say it a Muslim women’s right to bathe in the controversial garment
There is an ongoing campaign started by Citizen Alliance last year in a bid to have the rules governing public swimming pools in Grenoble reformed
‘We must fight against discriminatory policies and prejudice in France, as we are actually deprived of our civil rights of access to public services and city-owned infrastructures.’
The move was part of an ongoing campaign started by Citizen Alliance last year in a bid to have the rules governing public swimming pools in Grenoble reformed.
But Matthieu Chamussy, a member of France’s centre-right party The Republicans, said the mayor of Grenoble Éric Piolle should enforce the rules.
Matthieu Chamussy, a member of France’s centre-right party The Republicans, said the mayor of Grenoble Éric Piolle should enforce the current rules
He added: ‘Political Islam is moving forward step by step and the cause of women receding.’
In 2010, France became the first European country to ban the full-face veil in public and the burkini is a bid to allow women to bath while adhering to modesty edicts.