The European Network Against Racism, ENAR, has condemned the Belgian group 'Cities against Islamisation', led by Filip Dewinter, head of far right party Vlaams Belang, offer of a reward of 250 euro to anyone who reports a woman wearing a burqa to the police in Belgium.
We call on the Belgian government to take all necessary measures to condemn this call to denunciation. This call to denounce burqawearing women" stigmatises a specific group on the basis of its religion and is clearly in violation of EU and Belgian laws prohibiting incitement to hatred and discrimination",said Chibo Onyeji, Chair of ENAR, in a statement here today.
ENAR called on Belgian authorities to check whether this action is illegal, and if it is, to initiate proceedings against the group 'Cities against Islamisation' and its president, Filip Dewinter.
ENAR consist of more than 700 NGOs working to combat racism in all EU Member States. Vlaams Belang made the bounty offer following clashes between police and protestors in the Brussels municipality of Molenbeek earlier this week.
The incident was sparked after police stopped a burqawearing woman to check her identity Belgian last year banned the wearing of burqa (facecovering veil) in public and violators face a fine of up to 137.50 euro and a sevenday prison sentence.
