"To Iran!": About French hijab supporters

French Interior Minister Bruno Retayo initiated a ban on the hijab for Muslims at school events and sporting events. He believes that religious, political or trade union symbols hinder the unification of all around sports.

The Minister of the Interior of France, Bruno Retayo, launched a new initiative to restrict the hijab to Muslims. In an interview with BFMTV, he said: "The hijab is a sign that degrades the dignity of women" and "the victory of Islamization."

Retayo also advocated banning the hijab at sporting events, arguing that "all religious, political or trade union symbols are against the sporting values that unite us".

"For those who support wearing the hijab simply as a symbol of freedom, I suggest going to Iran. After all, why do young women die there for the freedom to take off the hijab?" said the minister.

At a meeting of the Legislative Commission of the National Assembly on October 2, Retayo denounced "very aggressive political Islam" and announced his intention to move "from the fight against separatism to the fight against political Islam." The minister plans to request a detailed report from the Directorate General of Homeland Security (DGSI) and make the declassified part public.

According to the Community Against Islamophobia in Europe (CCIE), 80% of the 527 incidents of Islamophobia reported in 2022 were directed against Muslim women wearing the hijab. Controversies related to Islamophobia, which have regularly emerged since 2004, are often related to Muslim women's clothing: the traditional hijab, niqab, burqa, abaya, as well as their participation in school activities.