Ca' Rezzonico veil flap

The head of one of Venice's most prestigious museums on Wednesday apologized to an Islamic [i.e., Muslim] woman who was asked to leave by a guard because she was wearing a head veil.

The episode, which sparked controversy in the Italian media and rows between centre-left and centre-right politicians, occurred last Sunday in Venice's Ca' Rezzonico museum, which houses 18th century Venetian art.

Messy affair, not least regarding the messiness of the applicable Italian laws:

When she reached the second floor, a room guard told her she had to take off her "niqab," a veil which leaves only the eyes visible, or leave. . .

Italian anti-terrorism laws from 1975 ban people from wearing face coverings in public but they are rarely enforced in cases of Islamic veils.

From Yahoo News.

Posted by David on August 27, 2008 10:06 AM