Muslims march worldwide against French headscarf ban

WAVING the French flag or wearing it as a head scarf, thousands of Muslim women marched worldwide this weekend in a protest against France’s plan to ban head coverings from public schools.

"Where is France? Where is tolerance?" the crowd chanted during the biggest demonstration a four-hour march through Paris. "The veil is my choice."

The protesters want to scrap a bill to go before French lawmakers next month forbidding "conspicuous" religious signs, including Islamic head scarves, Jewish skull caps and large Christian crosses, in public schools. Easy passage is expected, and the law is to become applicable with the new school year in September.

President Jacques Chirac says the aim is to protect the principle of secularism that anchors life in France. However, it also is seen as a way to hold back the swell of Islamic fundamentalism in France's Muslim community the largest in western Europe at an estimated five million.

Protesters of all ages formed a sea of colour in fanciful scarves of all sizes in Paris.

"Faith is not conspicuous," said one of hundreds of banners. "Neither fundamentalist nor terrorist but peaceful citizen," read another.

Police said up to 10,000 people took part in the peaceful Paris march, while several thousand others protested in cities around France.

Critics of the law claim it will stigmatise France's Muslims. French authorities contend the principle of secularism is meant to make everybody equal.

"I think it will make things worse," Kods Mejry, 18, said of the head scarf ban. "There will be no more integration."

Her blue, white and red scarf, matching the French flag, was meant "to show we are French and Muslim and proud of it".

In Washington, about 100 people protested outside the French embassy; many were women wearing scarves. The crowd chanted "My scarf, my choice" and held signs which read: "Repressive does not equal progressive" and "Is my scarf a threat to democracy?"

In London, 2,400 people demonstrated near the French embassy in Knightsbridge, chanting: "If this is democracy, we say 'Non, merci!'"

"The government is isolating Muslims and setting a dangerous precedent," said Ihtisham Hibatullah, spokesman for the Muslim Association of Britain.

Nearby, a small rival group of about 30 demonstrators expressed support for the ban.

British Foreign Office Minister Mike O'Brien said Britain's government supports the right to display religious symbols.

"In Britain, we are comfortable with the expression of religion, seen in the wearing of the hijab, crucifixes or the kippa," O'Brien said in a statement. "Integration does not require assimilation."

Across the Middle East, protesters denounced the French ban. The largest turnout was in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, where some 2,500 people marched.

Some 300 Palestinian women protested in the West Bank city of Nablus.

"As a people who have been oppressed, we know what it means for others in the world who are denied their freedom," said Salam Ghazal, head of a local women's group.