Swiss voters approved a referendum on Sunday to ban the wearing of face masks in public in Switzerland, including Muslim burkas.
The referendum, which amended the Swiss constitution, won approval by a narrow 51.2 to 48.8 percent.
The constitutional amendment does not make mention of Islam, rather, it bans all masks in public, including those worn by street protesters.
Prior to the vote Walter Wobmann, who headed the referendum committee and serves in parliament, said, “In Switzerland, our tradition is that you show your face. That is a sign of our basic freedoms,” as quoted by Reuters.
Further, Wobmann said facial coverings were “a symbol for this extreme, political Islam, which has become increasingly prominent in Europe and which has no place in Switzerland”.
The Central Council of Muslims responded to the ban on burkas in Switzerland, noting, “Today’s decision opens old wounds, further expands the principle of legal inequality, and sends a clear signal of exclusion to the Muslim minority.”
The council also said it would file legal challenges to the ban, as well as raise funds for women who are fined for wearing burkas.
Two Swiss cantons earlier voted to ban burkas.
In 2011, France banned the wearing of full face veils in public. Additionally, Denmark, Austria, the Netherlands and Bulgaria have some types of bans on wearing face coverings in public.
The Swiss have also outlawed the building of new minarets on mosques.
