Driver wearing Islamic face veil fined in France
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A woman driver wearing an Islamic face veil has been fined by French police for not having a clear field of vision. The fine was small, but it garnered big attention Friday and may illustrate what is to come as the president pushes to outlaw the veils nationwide.
Traffic police in the western city of Nantes fined the 31-year-old woman euro22 ($29) in early April, her lawyer said. The fine was based on a rule that says drivers should have freedom of movement and a sufficient field of vision, lawyer Jean-Michel Pollono said.
Pollono said Friday that he is protesting the decision, saying a veil is no different from a motorcycle helmet in terms of hindrance to vision.
The driver gave a news conference Friday—while wearing the niqab veil, which covers the entire face except for the eyes—and expressed "a feeling of injustice" over the incident.
"I didn't commit any infraction," said the driver, who declined to give her name. "I see just as well as you ... I have driven like this for nine years. I've not had any problems."
The driver is French by nationality. The lawyer said she had never been stopped until now, after months of recent parliamentary discussion and government talk about possibly banning the veils.