FRANCE: The French government reacted yesterday to what it said were attempts to stir up radical opposition to a ban on Muslim headscarves in state schools, as supporters of the veil prepared to march through Paris.
Thousands of people are expected to take part in today's march against a law proposed by President Jacques Chirac that would ban Muslim headscarves, Jewish skullcaps and large Christian crosses from public schools.
"Secularism is an essential element to protect French citizens, whatever gender or belief they hold," government spokesman Jean-Francois Cope said in a radio interview, defending France's strict separation of church and state.
"Secularism is the freedom to freely exercise one's faith, while respecting those of others," he told Radio Classique. "As for the demonstration, we see very clearly that some can and are being tempted to radicalise things, to twist reality," he added.
He gave no details of his concerns and did not say to whom he was referring. Many French politicians and voters support the planned law as a bulwark against Islamist influence among Muslim immigrants.
However, the proposed law has divided opinion among France's five million Muslims.
A similar demonstration is planned today for Dublin by an organisation called the Irish Anti-War Movement (IAWM), supporting the Islamic Cultural Centre. The protest is scheduled for 2 p.m. outside the French embassy on Aylesbury Road.
Speakers at the protest will include Ms Patricia McKenna, a Green Party MEP; and Mr Richard Boyd Barrett, chairman of the Irish Anti-War Movement.
Yesterday, Mr Boyd Barrett said in a statement: "The proposal to ban the hijab from schools and public offices is a racist attack on the entire Muslim community. The French government claim that the ban is aimed at removing all religious symbols from the education system and public offices is nonsense.
"Christians will still be free to wear a crucifix around their necks. This ban is overwhelmingly aimed at Muslims and is part of an alarming rise of Islamaphobia world-wide." - (Reuters)