Denmark set to be next country to ban burkas

DENMARK is poised to become the next European country to ban the burka.

Most political parties in the Danish parliament have backed some sort of restrictions on facial coverings.

It could outlaw Islamic garments including the niqab, which covers everything but the eyes, and the burka, which covers the eyes with a veil.

France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Bulgaria and the German state of Bavaria have all imposed some restrictions on full-face veils.

Foreign minister Anders Samuelsen said: ‘There will come a masking ban in Denmark. That’s how it is.’ His party, the Liberal Alliance, had previously been one of the staunchest opponents of a ban.

It had claimed it limited people’s ability to freely choose their attire, but has now changed its stance. About 200 women in Denmark wear such garments. In June, Norway proposed a ban on face-covering veils in kindergartens, schools and universities.