Italy Burqini Ban: Controversial Swimwear Barred From Northern Town

A town in northern Italy has banned women from wearing the "burqini" favored by conservative Muslim women, Al Arabiya reports.

The anti-immigration mayor barred the burqini and said women wearing them to pools or the beach would be subjected to $700 (Eur500) fines.

Gianluca Buonanno, mayor of Varallo Sesia said, "The sight of a 'masked woman' could disturb small children, not to mention problems of hygiene."

AKI reports that a young Muslim girl stopped going to a public pool in Verona after she was asked to provide details on the material of her burqini by the pool's director, Christian Panzarini.

Panzarini told AKI that some of their swimming instructors wear full body suits, but he was concerned about the hygiene of a burqini.

Monica Ferrari, an Italian triathlete who trains at the pool, said that she didn't think the burqini-clad girl had frightened any children, AKI reports.

Al Arabiya reports that Buonanno is a member of Italy's Northern League, which has been allied with Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's party.

Last week, a pool in Paris refused entry to a woman wearing a burqini.

Staff said there was a rule forbidding people from swimming while clothed.

In June, AP reported French President Nicholas Sarkozy saying that burqas were "not welcome" in France.

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Comments

[Burqini4u]

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[Burqini4u]

Hi Friends,
Just to let you know we have got the new designs of Ahiida Burqini now in stock for special occasion of EID. Its an ideal gift to buy your loved one, a gift that will give her freedom to swim and exercise.
Please beware only the original Ahiida Burqini is light weight and water resitant and safe to swim.You can now buy Ahiidas original Burqini one http://www.ebay.co.uk or can call us on 07783536851 to buy one directly.

[Burqini4u]

Hi Friends,
Just to let you know we have got the new designs of Ahiida Burqini now in stock for special occasion of EID. Its an ideal gift to buy your loved one, a gift that will give her freedom to swim and exercise.
Please beware only the original Ahiida Burqini is light weight and water resistant and safe to swim.You can now buy Ahiida original Burqini one http://www.ebay.co.uk or can call us on 07783536851 to buy one directly.

[Jyoti Naik]

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/03/muslim.convert/index.html

[helenlisaanne]

I am irish ,white ,christian-I love my burqini.

If any muslim sisters are reading this-I acknowledge your tightrope walk between east and west,feminism ,modernity and valued tradition.

Walk tall ladies and look em in the eye.Don t let Sarkozy get you down.Hes a greasy little man type.

[tman418]

As much as I hate religious extremism, there shouldn't be "secular extremism" as well. For an area of the world that has plenty of topless or nude swimming areas, they think "burqinis" are going to frighten the public?

Seriously, Europe. I expect better.

[riff4u]

I would rather look at a burqini than some lardass land whale in a bikini at the beach or swimming pool.

[OliverTwist]

I think the swim wear looks cute!

Thinks have surely changed if this swimsuit could frighten an Italian child.

[Hadji Beye]

Wow...that's really insulting...hygiene they said?
It seems like a lot of countries claim to have democracy but they really don't.
The sense of freedom is non-existent...

[MarsAmbassador]

If these women were TRUE Muslims, they wouldn't be humiliating their husbands and denigrating his supreme authority by even leaving the house, let alone flaunting their facial skin so blatantly for strangers (some of whom might be unrelated males). Ergo this should not be an issue in the first place.

[maryloo]

Yes and if the Christian women in our own country were TRUE Christians:
- they wouldn't speak in church (1 Corinthians 14:34-35);
- they'd cover their heads when praying (1 Corinthians 11:3-10);
- if widowed they'd only remarry their husbands brother (Deuteronomy 25:5);
etc, etc, etc

There are many forms, interpretations and extremes of every religion under the sun. Your point is stupid.

[Christopher Calton]

Precisely why all of the desert dogma's are venomous to humanity.

[DamaskinosWasRight]

+

I was just at a topless beach in Crete.

I came to the conclusion that the more covered the better.

+

[minimalist syntax]

Which Damaskinos?

[DamaskinosWasRight]

+

The Archbishop.

I thought the picture would make it clear but it seems that many do not know who he was.

+

[maryloo]

I don't know whether it's already been pointed out but the Getty picture with this article is showing an Australian lifesaver not anyone in Italy or even Europe.

http://www.middle-east-online.com/English/?id=19426

[OliverTwist]

But it is a burqini. Here's the credit from another picture in the set: "An Australian lifeguard wears a specially designed burqini. (Photo Credit: Getty)."

[plsps]

Back in the early 1910 - 1920's people wore bathing suits that looked similar and weren't comfortable. But people never asked about sanitation. I don't think that there are a lot of people that always look sanitary at the beach or pools. Are we going to get tested now??

[CJWebber]

When are they going to ban Speedos?

[leorising]

What would Jesus ban!

[GidgetAKAPaulaAnn]

Jesus would ban intolerance

[RogHol]

Well, what can be expected from a people reelcting such a person as Berlusconi?
What's wrong with Italy?
Too close to Africa/Mid­dleEast/Si­cily?

[sense oar sheep]

everything south of rome and spoleto is sicily including the island with the same name

[RogHol]

Well, I suppose I have some problems with Italy since someone stole my scubagear in Foggia many years ago... ;-)