Top Menu

Paris Opera Expels Veiled Woman During Performance

France_Opera

(h/t: Seyma)

via. Al-Arabiya

France’s government is drawing up a new set of rules for theatres after Paris Opera ejected woman for wearing a veil during a performance, the institution’s deputy director said Sunday.

The incident took place when a veiled woman was spotted on the front row of a performance of La Traviata at the Opera Bastille, Jean-Philippe Thiellay told AFP, confirming a media report.

France brought in a law in 2011 banning anyone from wearing clothing that conceals the face in a public space, or face a 150 euro ($190) fine.

The woman was sitting just behind the conductor, visible to monitors, wearing a scarf covering her hair and a veil over her mouth and nose during the performance on October 3.

“I was alerted in the second act,” said Thiellay, adding that “some performers said they did not want to sing” if something was not done.

France’s ministry of culture said a bill was currently being drafted to remind theatres, museums and other public institutions under its supervision of the rules regarding veils.

The spectator and her companion — tourists from the Gulf, according to MetroNews — were asked to leave by an inspector during the interval.

“He told her that in France there is a ban of this nature, asked her to either uncover her face or leave the room. The man asked the woman to get up, they left,” Thiellay said.

“It’s never nice to ask someone to leave… But there was a misunderstanding of the law and the lady either had to respect it or leave,” he said.

, , , , , , , ,

    • Mehdi

      These women are natives too, just as French. They make personal choices that don’t harm anyone, it’s not their fault if many people misinterpret secularism.

    • Capt. Hennessy

      “People are free to do and think what they want as long as it does not lead them to hurt others, physically or emotionally.”

      You won’t know that until they’ve actually hurt someone physically or emotionally, unless you judge their words and actions before they actually do any harm. It’s called setting up a control mechanism. The people who joined ISIL began their journey by their words, what they said and to whom they said it.

    • El Cid

      Were you wearing it too? And think it appropriate? Mandated?

    • Jekyll

      Nice story but women wearing the niqab are still viewed as the other…some sort of Orientalist view…”they were awesome and they were niqabis too wow…”

    • Sam Seed

      Yeah I thought to myself and said ‘Whoa!’

    • Reynardine

      In fact, chickadees are quite excitable.

    • Reynardine

      Perhaps he works at Chippendale’s or the Crazy Horse.

    • El Cid

      I was referring to your genetic trait Jackal.

    • El Cid

      You have no idea. You have been smacked all your grungy life. Take heed dimwit. Do yourself a favor frustrated dirty old man. Stay away lout. Now git.

    • Jekyll

      No no, I meant just ask her ‘hey can I see your face’…I bet she would be happy do it. To show you niqabis are normal man.

  • HSkol

    Nope. Her face would be none of my business.

Powered by Loon Watchers