Following in the footsteps of France, Denmark is set to expand its existing restrictions on full-face Islamic veils. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced that the government plans to extend the current public ban on burqas and niqabs to include educational institutions such as schools and universities.

Denmark has enforced a public ban on full-face veils since 2018. The new proposal would broaden the scope to prevent female students from wearing Islamic veils within educational settings. Additionally, Frederiksen revealed that the government aims to remove prayer rooms from universities, arguing that such spaces can foster “social control and oppression.”

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While asserting that religious freedom is respected, Frederiksen stated that democratic values must take priority. “You have the right to your faith and to practice your religion, but democracy takes precedence,” she told the Danish news agency Ritzau.

The announcement has sparked backlash from human rights advocates and religious organizations, who criticize the plan as discriminatory and a violation of women’s rights and religious freedoms. The government will begin dialogue with universities regarding the removal of prayer facilities, maintaining that the move is intended to safeguard individual freedoms.

Denmark Plans to Ban Islamic Veils in Schools and Universities

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