CHICAGO — In the decade since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, animosity toward Muslims sometimes has taken the form of opposition to construction of mosques and other Islamic facilities. National debate erupted over plans for an Islamic community center that became known as the “Ground Zero mosque” in Lower Manhattan. In the last five years, there…
16 September 2011 The Dutch government has agreed to a ban on the burqa under a deal with Geert Wilders’ PVV Party. The Interior Minister announced that “a general ban on wearing face-restrictive clothing in public is on the way” and will be in effect in public buildings, educational institutions, hospitals and public transport….
March 15 2011 Parliamentarian Jeanine Hennis, member of the right wing liberal VVD, currently the country’s largest party in government, wants to ban public servants working in town halls from wearing hijab. During an interview with De Pers Hennis motioned for “an open discussion on the separation between church and state” on the matter, adding…
October 11 2010 The leader of the Dutch Green Party (GroenLinks) called this week for her colleagues to express their opinions about the position of women and gays in Muslim communities. Speaking during a lecture on the freedom of religion, Femke Halsema suggested that progressives show their passion for promoting the rights of Muslim homosexuals…
September 20 2010 The Netherlands’ National Ombudsman has ruled that Muslim women who are being detained in cells, and are thus required to remove their headscarves, should not be confronted by male police officers. The decision comes after a Muslim woman was asked to hand over her headscarf to female police officers while male officers…
