Danish women stand up against the Niqab Ban

Thousands have taken to the streets in Copenhagen, Denmark to protest the country’s Niqab Ban that came into effect this Wednesday. The protests organised by Danish Muslim Women’s Group “Kvinder I Dialog” (Women in Dialogue) set out to stand against the Government’s stance of “hatred and Islamophobia”. The women argued that the newly introduced Ban discriminates against their rights to freely dress as they wish according to their religious beliefs. Sabina from Women in Dialogue also argued that she felt the new law criminalised her for simply expressing her identity and practicing her faith.
“Every time I step outside my front door, I am a criminal. I have to stay in my house, isolated. I cannot go to the grocery store, I cannot go out.” “Wearing this is an important spiritual choice for me. And now it is also a sign of protest. Every time the government does this, they make me firmer in my belief”.
“We need to send a signal to the government that we will not bow to discrimination and a law that specifically targets a religious minority,” Sabina, said as she marched on Wednesday. The new law allows Danish Police officers to force women caught wearing a face veil out of public areas and also fine them up to 1000 Danish Krones. Repeat offences can also be fined up to 10,000 Danish Krones. Muslims currently amount to approximately 5% of Denmark’s 5.7 million population. There are also only between 150-200 women in Denmark who wear the Niqab daily according to a Copenhagen University study, signaling the absurdity of such a ban. We ask Allah to make the situation easy for all Muslim women in Denmark who are currently facing the repercussions of this senseless ban, along with all other Muslim women throughout Europe facing similar circumstances.

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