Australian police get power to demand removal of burqas

Police previously had power to ask women to remove face veils during investigation, but not on more routine matters.


Afp July 05, 2011

SYDNEY: Police in the Australian state of New South Wales have been handed broad-based powers to demand the removal of burqas and other face veils so they can identify people suspected of committing a crime.

The state government approved the move late Monday after the recent case of a Muslim woman who was acquitted when a judge decided she could not be identified because was wearing a burqa.

"I don't care whether a person is wearing a motorcycle helmet, a burqa, niqab, face veil or anything else, the police should be allowed to require those people to make their identification clear," Premier Barry O'Farrell said.

The move follows the high-profile case of of Carnita Matthews, who in November 2010 was sentenced to six months jail for falsely accusing police of forcibly trying to remove her burqa when she was stopped for a traffic offence.

Her sentence was quashed last month when a magistrate said he could not be 100 percent sure it was Matthews who made the complaint because officers were not able to see the face of the accuser.

New South Wales state Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione demanded a clarification of the law and O'Farrell said the new powers should help prevent a recurrence of such cases in the future.

"I have every respect for various religions and beliefs but when it comes to enforcing the law the police should be given adequate powers to make a clear identification," said O'Farrell.

Police previously had the power to ask women to remove face veils during the investigation of serious offences, but not on more routine matters.

COMMENTS (41)

RnBram | 12 years ago | Reply Speaking to support Islamic women revealing themselves in greater degree, M wrote "why can’t men just restrain themselves from giving into their perversion?" But there is the whole problem. Sex is considered perversion!! It is not, it is natural . . . and I note that it is encouraged for procreation so as to expand the Muslim population by which Imams spread their power over people. Other religions have the same problem with sex, but modern Western men and women can enjoy their bodies and sex itself with great happiness and love. Yes, as with any human act, they can do it for the wrong reasons, but that is no reason to ban the act or to consider it a perversion. The problem lies in the religious beliefs, and the laws put in place based on those beliefs, instead of on the political and private recognition of Individual Rights.
sam | 12 years ago | Reply @Sulemain Basha: ok in case you wenrt able to figure out the missing part of the puzzle....education is enlightenment... if you want to argue u first need to educate yourself on a matter.. im not saying educate yourself because thatll convince you im only saying educate yourself so you can argue based on facts and not based on assumptions . even when u go to war you educate yourself about the enemy.. its just a common sense practice. OMG this is hilarious u think readying abou Islam makes you a mullah??? youv proven my point... you havnt the clue about what your talking and hence you made such a baseless naieve and sweeping statement... thanks for making my job all the more easier!
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