Burkinis banned on French Riviera – to make people safer

Ban in Cannes follows cancellation of Burkini event at water park in Marseille

Volunteer surf life saver Mecca Laalaa runs along a beach in Sydney, 2007

(Reuters)

The mayor of Cannes has introduced a ban on burkinis to “ensure security”, the French authorities confirmed.

The local mayor, David Lisnard, introduced the ban at the French Riviera resort to prohibit “beachwear ostentatiously showing a religious affiliation while France and places of religious significance are the target of terror attacks”.

The ruling says: “Access to beaches and for swimming is banned to anyone who does not have (swim wear) which respects good customs and secularism.”

Mr Lisnard said of the ruling: “I don’t have the time nor do I want to stir up controversy.

“I took this decision among several other rulings to make sure my city is safe in the context of the state of emergency.”

Cannes is just 18 miles from Nice where Islamist Mohamed Lahouaiej-Bouhlel ploughed a lorry through a crowd watching fireworks on Bastille Day in the Riviera resort, killing 85 people.

Thierry Migoule, Cannes’ head of municipal services told AFP: “We are not talking about banning the wearing of religious symbols on the beach ... but ostentatious clothing which refers to an allegiance to terrorist movements which are at war with us.”

The ban comes just one day after a women’s burkini event in Marseille was cancelled by the local government after the organisers received death threats.

France has had a full burqa and Niqab ban since 2004.