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France Moves to Clarify the Rules on Full Veil France Moves to Clarify the Rules on Full Veil
(about 1 hour later)
PARIS — The government said Monday that it would circulate guidelines for cultural institutions on France’s law against wearing full veils in public places after a woman at a performance of Verdi’s “La Traviata” was asked by an attendant to remove the covering over her face or leave the audience.PARIS — The government said Monday that it would circulate guidelines for cultural institutions on France’s law against wearing full veils in public places after a woman at a performance of Verdi’s “La Traviata” was asked by an attendant to remove the covering over her face or leave the audience.
Jean-Philippe Thiellay, the associate director of the Paris National Opera, told Agence France-Presse that some performers had complained after spotting the woman, who was sitting close enough to the conductor to be visible on the television monitors at the Opéra Bastille, the French capital’s hulking, modernist opera house. The performers at the Oct. 3 production said they did not want to sing if the woman kept her face concealed, he said.Jean-Philippe Thiellay, the associate director of the Paris National Opera, told Agence France-Presse that some performers had complained after spotting the woman, who was sitting close enough to the conductor to be visible on the television monitors at the Opéra Bastille, the French capital’s hulking, modernist opera house. The performers at the Oct. 3 production said they did not want to sing if the woman kept her face concealed, he said.
“I was alerted in the second act,” Mr. Thiellay was quoted as saying by the news agency. The Paris National Opera declined to elaborate, but the Culture Ministry confirmed the account.“I was alerted in the second act,” Mr. Thiellay was quoted as saying by the news agency. The Paris National Opera declined to elaborate, but the Culture Ministry confirmed the account.
In 2010, the French Parliament voted to ban the wearing of clothing that conceals the face in public places, becoming the first European country to restrict a custom that some Muslims consider a religious obligation.In 2010, the French Parliament voted to ban the wearing of clothing that conceals the face in public places, becoming the first European country to restrict a custom that some Muslims consider a religious obligation.
The so-called burqa bill — which also bans the wearing of masks, balaclavas and niqabs, which cover the face — went into effect in 2011 and does not forbid the wearing of the hijab, or head scarf. Those who conceal their faces, whether at a museum, opera or public garden, face a fine of 150 euros, or about $192, though officials said the law had not been fully enforced, in an effort to minimize tensions.The so-called burqa bill — which also bans the wearing of masks, balaclavas and niqabs, which cover the face — went into effect in 2011 and does not forbid the wearing of the hijab, or head scarf. Those who conceal their faces, whether at a museum, opera or public garden, face a fine of 150 euros, or about $192, though officials said the law had not been fully enforced, in an effort to minimize tensions.
The episode illustrated the conundrum for public venues, many of which said they had no formal procedures in place to deal with a woman who concealed her face at a performance. The Culture Ministry did not detail what its instructions to cultural institutions would say.The episode illustrated the conundrum for public venues, many of which said they had no formal procedures in place to deal with a woman who concealed her face at a performance. The Culture Ministry did not detail what its instructions to cultural institutions would say.
A ministry official, who declined to give her name because she was not authorized to be quoted by the media, said the episode at “La Traviata” was the only one she knew of in which a woman with a covered face had been asked to leave a cultural event in Paris. A ministry official, who declined to give her name because she was not authorized to be quoted by the news media, said the episode at “La Traviata” was the only one she knew of in which a woman with a covered face had been asked to leave a cultural event in Paris.
The covered woman, who the French news media reported came from a Persian Gulf country, was at the performance with her husband. A male staff member “told her that in France there is a ban of this nature, asked her to either uncover her face or leave the room,” Mr. Thiellay was reported as saying by the news agency. “The man asked the woman to get up; they left.”The covered woman, who the French news media reported came from a Persian Gulf country, was at the performance with her husband. A male staff member “told her that in France there is a ban of this nature, asked her to either uncover her face or leave the room,” Mr. Thiellay was reported as saying by the news agency. “The man asked the woman to get up; they left.”
“It’s never nice to ask someone to leave,” he added. “But there was a misunderstanding of the law, and the lady either had to respect it or leave.”“It’s never nice to ask someone to leave,” he added. “But there was a misunderstanding of the law, and the lady either had to respect it or leave.”
The ban, which has tapped into a culture war over the separation between mosque and state in abidingly secular France, has been contested by some French Muslims as an impingement upon their religious rights.The ban, which has tapped into a culture war over the separation between mosque and state in abidingly secular France, has been contested by some French Muslims as an impingement upon their religious rights.
Elsa Ray, spokeswoman for the Collective Against Islamophobia in France, called the episode an outrage. Moreover, she said that the Opéra Bastille had breached the law by asking the woman to leave and that only a police officer was permitted to enforce the ban. Opera officials said they could have called the police if the woman had refused to leave.Elsa Ray, spokeswoman for the Collective Against Islamophobia in France, called the episode an outrage. Moreover, she said that the Opéra Bastille had breached the law by asking the woman to leave and that only a police officer was permitted to enforce the ban. Opera officials said they could have called the police if the woman had refused to leave.
“This episode shows that people are using vigilante justice to enforce the law at a time when women in full veils are being physically attacked on the street,” she said. “The woman and her husband paid dearly for those opera tickets, and this shows the atmosphere of hate in contemporary France.”“This episode shows that people are using vigilante justice to enforce the law at a time when women in full veils are being physically attacked on the street,” she said. “The woman and her husband paid dearly for those opera tickets, and this shows the atmosphere of hate in contemporary France.”
Edouard Dagher, a spokesman for Théâtre du Châtelet, a leading Paris theater, said that since the law had gone into effect, the theater had never had to eject someone for wearing a full veil.Edouard Dagher, a spokesman for Théâtre du Châtelet, a leading Paris theater, said that since the law had gone into effect, the theater had never had to eject someone for wearing a full veil.
“Normally, we would do a check at the entrance of the theater,” he said. adding, “A theater is a public space, so we have to uphold the law.”“Normally, we would do a check at the entrance of the theater,” he said. adding, “A theater is a public space, so we have to uphold the law.”
While a full veil was not permitted in the audience at the Opéra Bastille, veiled women are appearing on stage this month in a production of Mozart’s “The Abduction from the Seraglio” — set in a Turkish harem — at the Paris Opera’s other theater, the Palais Garnier.While a full veil was not permitted in the audience at the Opéra Bastille, veiled women are appearing on stage this month in a production of Mozart’s “The Abduction from the Seraglio” — set in a Turkish harem — at the Paris Opera’s other theater, the Palais Garnier.