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An anti-immigrant group mistook empty bus seats for women wearing burqas
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2017/08/01/how-a-photo-of-empty-bus-seats-triggered-an-anti-muslim-fear-fest-on-facebook/?utm_term=.68744175d7cd
Last week, a photograph that appeared to show six women wearing burqas on a bus sparked a heated debate in a private Facebook group for Norwegians critical of immigration.
For many members of the group, which is called “Fedrelandet viktigst” or “Fatherland first,” the image encapsulated the problems Norway was facing after an influx of Muslim immigrants in the past few years.
It also played into a continent-wide debate about Islamic dress across Europe. Norway's right-wing government recently proposed a law that would ban some forms of dress worn by Muslim women in schools and universities — the first Scandinavian country to do so.
The burqa, a long, loose veil worn by some Muslims in Afghanistan and other parts of South Asia, would be restricted under the law, as would the face-covering niqab more commonly worn in Arab countries. Masks and other items of clothing that cover the face would also be restricted.
Some group members took the picture — posted with the comment, “what do people think of this?" — as proof that a ban was needed. More than 100 soon commented on it. “It looks really scary, should be banned. You can never know who is under there. Could be terrorists with weapons,” one user wrote, according to a translation from the Local website. Others described it as “frightening” and “tragic.”
Last week, a photograph that appeared to show six women wearing burqas on a bus sparked a heated debate in a private Facebook group for Norwegians critical of immigration.
For many members of the group, which is called “Fedrelandet viktigst” or “Fatherland first,” the image encapsulated the problems Norway was facing after an influx of Muslim immigrants in the past few years.
It also played into a continent-wide debate about Islamic dress across Europe. Norway's right-wing government recently proposed a law that would ban some forms of dress worn by Muslim women in schools and universities — the first Scandinavian country to do so.
The burqa, a long, loose veil worn by some Muslims in Afghanistan and other parts of South Asia, would be restricted under the law, as would the face-covering niqab more commonly worn in Arab countries. Masks and other items of clothing that cover the face would also be restricted.
Some group members took the picture — posted with the comment, “what do people think of this?" — as proof that a ban was needed. More than 100 soon commented on it. “It looks really scary, should be banned. You can never know who is under there. Could be terrorists with weapons,” one user wrote, according to a translation from the Local website. Others described it as “frightening” and “tragic.”
Empty bus seats are coming to ruin your life.
With severely racist idiots, it's often a little too easy.
12 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
That's how they sneak up on you by looking like empty bus seats. It's a scary world out there when you don't even know if you might sit on someone ...
