Dutch burqa wearers protest against face veil ban

THE HAGUE, Nov 30 (Reuters) About 80 people protested outside the Dutch parliament today against a recent government decision to ban Muslim burqas and face veils, the toughest ban thus far in Europe.

Seven women clad in niqabs -- a veil concealing the face except the eyes -- and loose robes that covered them from neck to toes, and 20 women in headscarves gathered in front of parliament, which was to convene today for the first time after national elections were held last week.

Around 50 supporters carried banners written with the phrases: ''Before you judge me, try hard to know me'' and ''The first lesson of integration: the constitution is for everyone.'' Earlier this month, the outgoing government agreed to a total ban on burqas and other Muslim face veils in public, citing security concerns. Critics said the move was likely to alienate and victimise the country's 1 million Muslims.

''Every time there is an election, the thing with the burqa comes up,'' said Aishah Bayrat, a 41-year-old teacher and mother of five.

''The burqa is a religious thing, nobody should interfere with it.'' Clad in a black and blue niqab, 17-year-old Tamara dismissed official concerns that the robe would make it hard for people to identify the wearer or serve as a cover for criminals and terrorists.

''What about Santa Claus? He can go out on the streets with his long beard and we can't recognise him. They are looking for something that is not there,'' she said.

Since the murder of anti-immigration maverick Pim Fortuyn in 2002, the Dutch have lost a reputation for tolerance, pushing through some of Europe's toughest entry and integration laws.

Existing legislation now limits the wearing of burqas and other total coverings on public transport or in schools.

The new government, which will be created after coalition talks following last week's election, will have to draw up a plan to put the ban in effect.

The debate on face veils and whether they stymie Muslim integration has gathered momentum across Europe.

France bans Muslim headscarves and other religious garb from state schools, while Britain is considering limits on niqabs.

Italy has a decades-old law against covering the face in public as an anti-terrorism measure.

About 50 women in the Netherlands are estimated to wear the head-to-toe burqa or the niqab.

Reuters PB RN2220