New South Wales, Australia. The country's most populous state is proposing a new law that will require women to identify themselves to police if requested to do so. Failure to comply could result in up to 1 year in jail and a $5,900 fine.
Critics claim the bill is blatantly anti-Muslim. They point out that in a population of 23 million, only about 400,000 Australians are Muslim. Supporters of the bill say it's a matter of public security. France and Belgium have banned face-covering veils in public altogether.
It is a religious issue here," said Mouna Unnjinal, who has been driving in Sydney in a veil, called a niqab for 18 years and has never been cited for a traffic offense."We're going to feel very intimidated and our privacy is being invaded," she added.
Source: hosted.ap.org
