http://www.mabonline.net/index.htm>
http://www.mabonline.net/index.htm>
Scotland defends the Hijab
Braving the cold of a Scottish January morning, around 250 protesters
from all over Scotland and the north of England came to express their
anger at the French Government's decision to ban all public outward
manifestations of religion, including the Muslim women's hijab,
mandatory within the religion. For pictures, see the MAB
<http://www.mabonline.net/activities/nat_events/nationalhijabprotest/d
ay
shighlights.htm> website.
The demonstration, held outside the French Consulate in Edinburgh's
Randolph Crescent, was attended by Muslim and non-Muslim alike and
represented people of differing backgrounds and organisations. But the
thing that united all the voices was that they were standing for human
rights and justice.
Chants included "If this is democracy, we say non-merci!". Shouts of
anger at Jacques Chirac's decision called for a retraction of the
policy
and expressed zero-tolerance for any leader who tries to implement
racist or discriminatory laws or practises.
The issue of hijab was raised in the media, with discussions taking
place on BBC talk shows, and coverage on radio stations like Clyde 1.
To
see some of the press articles see:
Scarf <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3405787.stm> rally
in Scottish capital (BBC)
<http://news.scotsman.com/edinburgh.cfm?id=63662004> City protest
over
headscarf ban (Scotland on Sunday)
<http://www.sundaymail.co.uk/news/content_objectid=13829214_method=ful
l_
siteid=86024_headline=-FRANCE-IN-EYE-OF-THE-STORM-AS-SCOTS-MUSLIMS-
JOIN-
WORLDWIDE-PROTESTS-name_page.html> FRANCE IN EYE OF THE STORM AS SCOTS
MUSLIMS JOIN WORLDWIDE ... (Sunday Mail)
MAB Scotland wishes to thank all those who participated in the
organisation of the demonstration, those who spoke at the event, those
who stayed up all night making the placards and those who helped
publicise the event. Many thanks also go to the various organisations
that supported the campaign and continue to stand shoulder to shoulder
with us on issues of morality and justice:
. Federation of Student Islamic Societies (FOSIS)
. Islamic Society of Britain & Young Muslims (ISB/YM)
. Al-Meezan
* Aberdeen Muslim Womens' Group (AMWG)
. Muslim Womens' Resource Centre (MWRC)
. UK Islamic Mission (UKIM)
. Aberdeen University Muslim Students' Association (AUMSA)
. Caledonian University Muslims Students' Assoc (CUMSA)
. Dundee University Islamic Society (DUIS)
. Glasgow University Muslim Students' Assoc (GUMSA)
. Islamic Society of Edinburgh Uni (Isoc Ed)
. Paisley University Muslims Students' Assoc (PUMSA)
. Strathclyde University Muslims Students' Assoc (SUMSA)
. Edinburgh Stop the War Coalition (EStWC)
. Globalise Resistance (GR)
* Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign (SPSC)
. Scotland Against Criminalising Communities (SACC)
. Scottish Coalition for Justice not War (SCJNW)
. Scottish Green Party (Greens)
. Scottish National Party (SNP)
. Scottish Socialist Party (SSP)
Latest news after the action:
French
<http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,3604,1126747,00.html>
MPs reappraise plan to outlaw veils
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