David Vance SubstackRead More
I have always liked Switzerland. The Swiss are orderly, well mannered and I have always enjoyed working with them and visiting them. So I was delighted to read that the Swiss have now begun enforcing their nationwide ban on face coverings (Burqa ban) in public.
Back in March, Zurich police issued the country’s first federal fine under the new rule. A Muslim woman was ordered to pay 100 Swiss francs for wearing a full-face veil in public. Good, but it gets better! When she refused to pay and contested the penalty, citing Islamophobia and religious discrimination, authorities escalated the case. She now faces a potential fine of up to 1,000 Swiss francs.
That’s how you do it!
All of this stems from a 2021 referendum in which a narrow majority, 51.2%, of Swiss voters approved a constitutional amendment banning the covering of the face in public spaces.
This was pushed by the patriotic Swiss People’s Party, and framed as a security measure against “radical Islam” and a defence of Swiss values. Which of us would not agree with that? Now the law itself does not actually mention Islam or indeed any religion by name. It simply prohibits any covering of the nose, mouth, and eyes—whether a niqab, burqa, ski mask, or balaclava. There are a few exception to this such as in places of worship, for health or safety reasons, during extreme weather, at cultural events, or in air-travel security zones. That seems fair to me. But in the main, Burqas and Niqabs are simply not permitted in the public square!
This issue has been bubbling away in Switzerland for years now. Two of the cantons, Ticino and St. Gallen, had already imposed local bans but the 2021 vote made the restriction nationwide. Disappointingly after lengthy parliamentary debates, fines were capped far below the originally proposed 10,000 francs. So first offence now carry a 100-franc on-the-spot penalty, with repeated or contested violations punishable by up to 1,000 francs.
Muslims make up around 5% of Switzerland’s population. Symbolically, however, this first fine marks a new chapter for the fightback against the oppressions that Islam brings. If the local muslims don’t like it, hard cheese!
