Niqab-Wearers Are Exempt From the Niqab Ban

The Dutch government recently enacted a law banning the niqab in certain public situations. However, in order to avoid discriminating against any particular religion, the law targets people wearing “full-face coverings”, as is usually the case with such laws.

No one among us deplorable “Islamophobes” is surprised to learn that the Dutch police only arrest people who wear face coverings that are not the niqab.

The two videos below show scenes from a demonstration against the “niqab ban”, and follow the actions of a man named René (who happens to be a fan of Tommy Robinson). René is in favor of the new law, but wants to see it applied equally to all face coverings. He wears a balaclava to the demonstration to make a point: he is arrested, while none of the women wearing niqabs are.

You’ll notice that besides the relatively small number of (presumably Muslim) wearers of the niqab, the demonstrators seem to be mostly white middle-class women. Useful idiots, in other words.

Many thanks to C for the translations, and to Vlad Tepes for the subtitling.

Video 1: The demo, and René gets arrested

Video 2: Next day, after the arrest

Video transcript #1:

00:20   We’re in the Hague. Today there’s a protest against the niqab ban, as you can hear.
00:26   And today we’re going to ask people what they’re protesting exactly,
00:31   and why they don’t want to obey the law.
00:42   Well, I’m here with Edwin Wagensveld from Pegida.
00:45   Edwin, why are you in the Hague today? —For the entertainment.
00:48   Entertainment? Can you elaborate? —Well, the mayor says she’s not going to enforce the law,
00:56   and the rules concerning protests. This violates the principle of equality [before the law].
00:59   Nobody is allowed to cover their faces [during a protest]. The rules are very clear.
01:05   So when they do this anyway, when it’s allowed, when nobody is arrested…
01:09   I’ll request, within the hour, a permit for a protest next Friday against Islamization,
01:14   and against the ban on balaclavas.
01:17   Hello, Sylvana, how are you? [Sylvana Simons, leader of SJW party Bij1]
01:20   Very well, and I’ll answer your next question straightaway:
01:23   I have no interest in talking to the media. —That was not my next question.
01:27   My question was going to be: why did you join the protest?
01:31   Do you really want me to repeat myself? Would you get a kick out of that?
01:34   You are an elected representative, right? And I’d like to know your opinion on this matter.
01:37   The fact that I’m an elected representative doesn’t mean I don’t have the right.
01:41   to tell you that I have nothing to say to you.
01:44   And why is that? —Thank you. —Why don’t you want to talk to me? —To get back to the subject.
01:50   What was the subject? [EVIL STARE OF DOOM]
01:55   You’re a representative in Amsterdam, you’re here in the Hague, so I’d like to ask why you’re here.
02:00   We’ll talk about this later.
02:06   You have nothing to say?
02:09   It’s common decency to talk to the press.
02:13   I think there’s a presser later, where you [?]
02:16   Will you be speaking as well, at the presser?
02:25   Do we have to wait until you’ve finished your cigarette?
02:37   Why don’t you want to speak to me, madam?
02:41   It’s common for press to be at an event like this, and to ask questions.
02:53   [Cemil Yilmaz, Muslim party NIDA] I’m a volunteer. That’s why I must refer you to the media tent.
02:57   For media questions, you know the lady in the orange vest, you can address her. —Come on! Come on.
03:04   You always talk to us. Why? —I submit to the organization,
03:08   and they asked me to refer all media questions to the media tent.
03:13   Find the lady in the orange vest and she’ll be able to help you.
03:16   How can it be that you as a politician, as a legislator, protest against a law? Isn’t that odd?
03:21   As I said, the media tent is over there, and there should be a lady in an orange vest.
03:27   She registers all [media] requests, and you’ll be admitted [to the presser]. —Thank you, Cemil.
03:33   It’s just something against Islam. —And how… what exactly is against Islam?
03:38   The whole law. It’s just symbolic politics.
03:44   And you’re expressing solidarity with the ladies? —Yes. Absolutely.
03:47   So what do you think should happen? —That this ban be lifted. —Nothing else, right?
03:54   But can you understand? People say you must be able to look people in the eye, and that’s not how…
03:58   Everybody is required by law to be able to identify himself, right?
04:01   So, when somebody has to be identified, that’s what happens. Simple, right?
04:07   I absolutely do not want them to place themselves above Dutch law. That’s all.
04:15   That’s why you are here today? —That’s why I’m here today, yes.
04:21   I want to focus today on the niqab-wearing woman.
04:26   Because she is the one who at this moment is victim of Dutch law.
04:35   Today I speak as human, as woman, as mother, but today I speak above all as a niqab-wearer.
04:46   It is indescribably frustrating, to listen for years how people talk about us, instead of with us.
04:56   Hello, can I ask you something, why are you here today? —I’m not answering questions, sorry.
04:59   And… why not? —It’s clear. The message is clear.
05:04   What is the message, maybe I can ask you? —Sorry, I speak no Dutch.
05:08   But they’ll say, this is because of my faith. —It has nothing to do with faith.
05:12   In countries like Morocco, and other Islamic countries, it’s even banned.
05:17   What do you think of the argument that it’s about the woman’s freedom of choice?
05:22   That’s an often-heard argument. Amnesty NL also said it’s about freedom of choice.
05:25   If the woman chooses to wear a niqab or burqa,
05:28   then that’s part of Western values, that freedom to choose.
05:32   Western values would then also allow public nudity, right? A woman can’t choose that either.
05:37   We have rules we have to respect. We have democratically elected parties who voted for this ban.
05:44   Well, we have to respect that. And we have to say, walk around naked.
05:48   Just watch, if you apply for a permit to protest next week here on the Koekamp, and
05:51   you stand here naked, what madam [mayor] Krikke says then. She’ll say that’s not allowed either.
05:56   Can you equate nudity with the niqab? Yes, because they themselves say it’s about freedom.
06:00   It’s about their freedom. Women don’t have the freedom to walk around naked here, either.
06:05   I equate the two. I regard it as freedom. And our freedom is limited in many ways.
06:10   [Shabir Burhani, a.k.a. Maiwand al Afghani] I am a citizen of the Dutch state too, and
06:14   these are citizens, too. We all have a say in what… in laws that are amended in a democracy,
06:20   and sometimes laws can even be abolished or corrected.
06:24   But let’s say, I don’t agree with the law against running red lights.
06:27   For example. I feel I can run red lights.
06:30   Is it then… sorry?
06:34   Excuse me. We agreed that [?] it’s better if you’re in agreement
06:38   with the rest. It’s better to refrain from [?]
06:42   That’s the wise thing to do. —Sorry, what’s happening here? With all due respect for freedom
06:45   in the Netherlands of course, we don’t react. —But I was talking.
06:48   I wanted to ask this gentleman something. —We have a spokesperson. Thank you. We’re very
06:51   grateful for your presence and attention, but we have a spokesperson. —Isn’t this a little rude,
06:54   you’re just… —Thanks. We have a spokesperson.
06:57   Polite manners are measured to standards. We have…
07:01   Thank you very much. Thank you very much. I’d like to thank you…
07:04   I’d like to thank you. Ask the spokesperson.
07:07   Ask the spokesperson. If you’re a skilled… if you’re a skilled journalist.
07:12   then you’ll stick to etiquette and norms. Thank you very much for your time and attention.
07:16   Is it something I said? —Good afternoon. —Is it something I said?
07:24   Well, I was just talking to a gentleman. And he was just removed, he’s not allowed to talk to us,
07:31   against his will. Talking about freedom of choice, the men here don’t have any, either.
07:43   So, you’re expressing solidarity with the ladies? —Absolutely not. I’m in favor of the ban.
07:48   Because first of all, it’s un-Dutch.
07:53   It can be abused. I mean, maybe I can travel for free.
07:57   I’ll see when I make use of public transport,
08:01   if I am checked.
08:36   Can I ask you something? Are you sure you’re a police officer?
08:39   These colleagues can all confirm it.
08:47   Isn’t it odd that you ask him for ID [and not others]?
08:50   It’s for safety reasons that we do it this way. —But we can’t identify those ladies either, right?
08:54   I ask you to let me do my job. —Why don’t you do your job and ID those ladies?
09:02   So why don’t you do your job and ID those ladies?
09:06   For privacy reasons I ask you to let me do this, we’ll get back to you right away.
09:16   Want to speak off-camera? —No [?]
09:19   This is a public space.
09:26   This was for security reasons. Here you go. Have a nice day. —Have a nice day.
09:47   So where are you going today? —I don’t know yet. I think… that I know where I’ll end up.
09:53   Where is that? —[laughs] The police station. Don’t you think?
09:57   We’ll see.
10:01   Where are you travelling? —I think Amsterdam. —Amsterdam?
10:07   So.
10:10   Sir, can you stop for a moment?
10:16   Can I see your ID? —Again?
10:21   Umm, I’ll write this down. My request to you is to take your balaclava off, or… —No.
10:25   You won’t comply? —No, why? —Then you’ll be arrested.
10:28   Well, go ahead. —Yes? Accompany us, yes? —On what grounds
10:31   are you arresting this gentleman? —Why are you arresting him?
10:34   Are you coming with me? —Why are you arresting him? —We’re going that way.
10:38   Can you request transportation? —Sir, on what grounds are you arresting this man?
10:43   Why is this man being arrested?
10:47   I refer you to our press officer. But I think you can explain why he’s being arrested?
10:52   There are women in niqab over there, they’re free to walk around.
11:04   What do you think of this? —Embarrassing, really.
11:09   They don’t enforce the law when it comes to them, but they enforce it in my case.
11:12   —That’s odd, right? —I don’t know [?]
11:32   Well, what do you think it’ll be? A night in a prison cell?
11:35   I think so. I can’t pay the fine. I can’t afford that.
11:40   Do you know on what grounds you’re being arrested?
12:23   [laughs] A politically correct answer, isn’t it?
12:27   He’s probably arrested because he covered his face in a public space.
12:32   Going there in a niqab, that’s not allowed either. —That’s the difference in light of the law [?]
12:36   It’s my understanding you can’t do it in a public building, but on the street.
12:40   On the street you can cover your face. Otherwise you couldn’t wear a motor helmet.
12:46   Are you saying a woman in niqab should take it off too, then?
12:50   I’m not answering that, because… —But that’s clear;
12:54   are you saying a woman in niqab will also be arrested?
12:57   You, you [?] explained how it works.
 

Video transcript #2:

19:41   Hey, René! How are you? —Well…
19:46   Tell us, you were in the news yesterday, because of your balaclava. Tell us, what happened?
19:53   I was arrested. And then taken to the station.
19:58   First they told me it was an infraction. After awhile the assistant DA showed up,
20:04   who said it was a felony, because people can panic, and…
20:11   and it can cause unrest. I said, that’s exactly the situation that law was intended for.
20:15   I said, that’s why it applies. And I’m willing to pay a fine, or do time.
20:20   And did you have to pay a fine? —No. Nothing at all. No. Nothing.
20:25   So you don’t have to pay a fine? —They just sent me on my way.
20:29   I think… He came back later, and told me I was free to go.
20:33   I think that they… yeah… they don’t know… they know very well. It’s just mismanagement.
20:41   Those policemen walk the street and arrest you because they have orders,
20:46   or they think they can make the call. And the head of police
20:49   is responsible, in this case the mayor.
20:52   Did they say anything about this when you were in the van?
20:57   No, it was relaxed. They’re just police officers; I didn’t have any problems with them.
21:04   You were free to go just like that, you weren’t in a cell? No fine, no cell?
21:07   We were placed in a little room, not a cell. We were frisked,
21:11   my things were taken, my details were written down, that was it.
21:16   How long did it take? —I think I left at 6:30pm. I didn’t have my watch.
21:22   I went outside, and… nothing… —Just a few hours? —Yes.
21:27   And now? Will you hear from them again? Or is this it?
21:30   I have… I don’t expect anything, because they didn’t give me anything, on purpose.
21:35   So I can’t do anything. —Because you’ll be told there’s no case. And you’ll have to press the issue,
21:39   write letters, and they’ll know. They’ll cover their a***s.
21:43   I don’t know what the story, the answer will be.
21:46   You went viral yesterday; did you see anything?
21:51   No, because I don’t have internet at home. I don’t have a PC either.
21:54   [I know] it’s ridiculous, but I don’t have any of that.
21:57   Friends, acquaintances, family didn’t call you?
22:00   Yes, friends did tell me; a friend saw it. I told him it means little to me.
22:08   To make things clear, why did you do this? For the viewers who are wondering why you did this.
22:14   Inequality in the law. This is about face covering, and when you’re
22:19   at a petrol station it’s customary to take your helmet off.
22:24   If people are blindsided [by the ban], and things are reported on in a negative way,
22:28   [that’s too bad]. The law exists, and should be enforced.
22:32   And not [?] “I think this, I think that”, you know, “I want, I have to, I demand”. And it’s just…
22:44   I mean, we’re not treated equally in the Netherlands.
22:48   Do you think if you walked around in a niqab, they’d do the same?
22:51   That’s a big question. I don’t know. Nobody was arrested for a whole week,
22:58   so… that tells you something. That’s suspect. —So there’s
23:05   selective enforcement. By the way, you have a letter with you. Can you tell us about that?
23:08   I’m going to send this to Tommy, in England. He’s been in prison for more than a month.
23:14   Last year he was imprisoned for three months. For reporting, he asked, near a courthouse,
23:20   asked people “How is your day, what do you think of the sentence?” And…
23:25   Then they arrested him —For contempt of court. Yes.
23:31   You’re in contact with Tommy? —yes, I’m a fan.
23:36   You support him too? —Yes. —And what’s the content of the letter?
23:40   Just saying hello, daily stuff, he appreciates that.
23:44   To hear about soccer and stuff. And this [arrest] I didn’t
23:48   even include, the envelope was ready to go.
23:51   I just didn’t have a stamp yet. —So your last stunt isn’t in there?
23:55   No, no, no, but he’s going to hear about it. He’ll hear about it, I know that.
23:59   And are you planning other actions? Next week there’ll be a counter-protest.
24:04   with balaclavas. Are you planning to join?
24:08   Well, I don’t know who those people are. If they’re shady.
24:13   I want to know who they are, first, of course.
24:20   All right, René. Can we expect anything else from you? A stunt?
24:26   I’ll contact my lawyer on Monday, because I find the whole situation odd, scandalous.
24:33   The head of the police corps. I mean, it’s either enforce it or not,
24:40   not “yes but”; that’s not how the law works.
24:43   Let’s post your letter.