Published : 07-10-2020
Palestinian girl Maya Abu AlAla has worn Hijab (Islamic veil) as a protest move against Swedish city of Skurup after it approved a bill banning "all forms of Muslim headgear" in primary schools and preschools.
The ban - which was passed in December - affects Muslim women who wear headscarves, burqas, and niqabs.
Backed by liberal-conservative Moderates and the local Skurup party, the ban was initiated and passed through the municipal government in a vote of 22 positive to 19.
The motion has been widely criticized among the local community and around 200 people gathered to protest it outside the town hall on Monday. However, they were met with counter-protests where people chanted hateful slogans including "Close Islam" and other phrases like "Freedom for Swedes."
Today, Muslim communities amount to 8.1 percent of Sweden's total population. Around 800,000 people of the faith call the country their home, according to Pew Research Center.
Though Sweden does not enforce a headscarf ban on a national level, some municipalities across the country have been taking it upon themselves to impose them.
Palestinian girl Maya Abu AlAla has worn Hijab (Islamic veil) as a protest move against Swedish city of Skurup after it approved a bill banning "all forms of Muslim headgear" in primary schools and preschools.
The ban - which was passed in December - affects Muslim women who wear headscarves, burqas, and niqabs.
Backed by liberal-conservative Moderates and the local Skurup party, the ban was initiated and passed through the municipal government in a vote of 22 positive to 19.
The motion has been widely criticized among the local community and around 200 people gathered to protest it outside the town hall on Monday. However, they were met with counter-protests where people chanted hateful slogans including "Close Islam" and other phrases like "Freedom for Swedes."
Today, Muslim communities amount to 8.1 percent of Sweden's total population. Around 800,000 people of the faith call the country their home, according to Pew Research Center.
Though Sweden does not enforce a headscarf ban on a national level, some municipalities across the country have been taking it upon themselves to impose them.
