Italy: Niqab woman ousted from museum, guard to be disciplined

The head of one of Venice's most prestigious museums apologized on Wednesday to a Muslim woman asked to leave the building by a guard because she was wearing a veil over her face.


The episode, which has kindled controversy in the Italian media and arguments between centre-left and centre-right politicians, occurred on Sunday in Venice's Ca' Rezzonico museum, which houses 18th-century Venetian art.


"I'm sorry for what happened and if she ever wants to return to our museum, she will be more than welcome," director Filippo Pedrocco told Reuters by telephone from Venice.


The woman, visiting the museum with her husband and children, had cleared security when she entered the building.


When she reached the second floor, a room guard told her she must remove her "niqab," which leaves only the eyes visible, or leave.


"The room guard was over-zealous. He should not have done it. She already passed security and his only duty was to guarantee the safety of the artwork in his room," Pedrocco said.


The woman was believed to have been a member of a well-off family visiting Venice from Saudi Arabia or a Gulf state.


She refused to take off the veil and left the building, which faces Venice's Grand Canal and houses works by such 18th century Venetian masters as Giandomenico Tiepolo.



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Source: Reuters (English)

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

“It is not acceptable for people to completely cover themselves on the street. It threatens public order and security. Plus it is a terrifying sight and only increases the cleft between natives and foreigners.” -Geert Wilders

Mark Tapson said...

Later in the article it mentions that Italian anti-terror laws forbid covering the face in public places, but that this is rarely enforced where the Muslim veil is concerned. Why? the law should be enforced equally, especially because Islamic terrorism is now the primary terrorist threat, and the security guard in question should be moved to the museum's entrance, where there seems to be a security weakness. Instead, the museum issued an apology, which is becoming the West's response to everything.

Anonymous said...

Taqiyya all'italiana. Italy will soon treat Muslims like China treats Muslims: properly. And Italy would regard being kicked out the EU as liberation, just like the US is all but done with the UN. Maybe you guys can replace them with 3rd-world Turkey, who want in there so badly. Italy has already borne the brunt of Europe's insane welfare state and immigration 'policies' and they ruined the country. They're not letting 3rd-world Muslims drag them down anymore. The rest of you guys will implode next. And then Canada. Then us because we've fought all the free world's wars on our own dollar.

Esther said...

Italy will soon treat Muslims like China treats Muslims: properly

You mean it should stop being a liberal democracy? ignore human rights? Go back to the good old days of fascism?

FreeSpeech said...

The text is clear: The security check is at the entrance. Querstion remains why she was cleared, showing her adherence to a cult that forbids pictures of living beings.

Anonymous said...

Ester, there is a difference from "fascism" and "respect of the laws". Mainly when the laws code the needed rules to live together in peace and security.

I'm from Venice and the story appear a provocation:
1) We don't know who are the couple and why they did in the museum (because salafist hate and despise pictures of living things and nudes)
2) A journalist "happen" to be there and take photos of what happened
3)....
4) profit

The laws state that people (citizen or not, muslim or not) are not allowed to go around in public places with their face covered.
If you wear a niqab or an moto helmet that cover your face you are breaking the laws. This is also true for carnival masks, headscarves, balaklava, and so on.

The (supposed) woman was asked to remove the veil to let the security personnel to identify her. She refused (or her husband refused) and they leaved. I would say they were lucky, because a woman tried the same stuff in a tribunal and the judge sentenced her to jail in no time.

The real difference of Italy from other places like France or Great Britain is that we were multicultural before many other states. Because we unified a very different regions, with different attitudes and cultural mores. And we learned one lesson or two.

Esther said...

Hi extropolitca,

I was not referring to whether the woman shhould have been allowed into a museum. I was referring to a comment that Italy should follow China's example in treating Muslims.

I don't think a totalitarian regime like China is something the West should emulate.

Anonymous said...
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Esther said...

Hi jdamn13,

I understand you don't like Islam, but any comment of yours that start with "100% Muslims.." will be deleted.

Anonymous said...

It's Islamic law, Esther, and by far the most adhered-to of any of them. Muslim women must not exist except as the outright property of a man. She must marry whoever her family pimps her away to. Per Islamic law, that's not the case, but Islam sanctions honor killing, so it's a Catch-22:

"A manual of Islamic law certified by Al-Azhar as a reliable guide to Sunni orthodoxy says that "retaliation is obligatory against anyone who kills a human being purely intentionally and without right." However, "not subject to retaliation" is "a father or mother (or their fathers or mothers) for killing their offspring, or offspring's offspring." ('Umdat al-Salik o1.1-2)."-from Dhimmiwatch

And of course she has to let her 'husband' who owns her outright rape her whenever he wants. And before being pimped away her brothers and father get to rape her whenever they want per K2.223.

Esther said...

It's not Islamic law. According to Islamic law a woman can not be forced to marry somebody she doesn't want to. As can be seen in many cases, that doesn't help them.

In any case, even if it was Islamic law - different Muslims believe in different things.