"I am not against burkinis but against burkas. I believe that such facial coverage is a violent action against women. It does not allow women to communicate openly and does not give them a lot of freedom. Women should be able to decide for themselves whether to cover themselves when it comes to burkini. Burkas, however, should be banned in public places in Austria," Hofer said.
In August, German Interior Minister Thomas de Maiziere proposed a ban on wearing burkas in public. A YouGov poll same month revealed that the majority of UK residents, 57 percent, would support burka ban in the country.
A number of French Riviera towns have introduced bans on burkinis, which are full-body swimwear worn usually by Muslim women. The ban was later overturned in the town of Villeneuve-Loubet, after France’s highest administrative court ruled that the town had no right to introduce the ban. The ruling set a legal precedent for other French towns.
