No Muslim fashion parades

The Paris suburb of Montreuil-sous-Bois banned two fashion shows last week featuring veiled Muslim women.

Two fashion shows were closed because they could possibly disrupt public order. The shows, in which items such as the hijab and the burqa would have received a great deal of attention, were closed to men. Officials were worried that the events might cause severe unrest. According to them the town, under the leadership of Communist-linked mayor Jean-Pierre Brard, made the decision to block the shows following a number of complaints from pro-secularism organisations.