SYDNEY, Nov 24 (Reuters) – Australian far-right Senator Pauline Hanson wore a burqa to Parliament on Monday as a political prop in her push to ban the Muslim garment in public, sparking accusations of racism from Muslim senators over the stunt.
Hanson wore the burqa shortly after she was denied permission to introduce a invoice that will outlaw burqas and different full-face coverings in public locations in Australia.
It was the second time Hanson had used the top garment, worn by some Muslim girls, in parliament in an effort to ban the general public sporting of burqas.
The Senate erupted in anger as she walked into the chamber sporting the burqa, and proceedings have been suspended when Hanson refused to take away it.
“This is a racist senator, displaying blatant racism,” stated Muslim Mehreen Faruqi, a Greens senator from the state of New South Wales.
Muslim Fatima Payman, an unbiased senator from the state of Western Australia, referred to as the stunt “disgraceful”.
Sam Mooy through Getty Pictures
Each Penny Wong, chief of Australia’s centre-left Labor authorities within the Senate, and Anne Ruston, deputy Senate chief for the opposition coalition, condemned Hanson’s actions.
Wong referred to as them “not worthy of a member of the Australian Senate” and moved a movement to droop Hanson for failing to take away the garment. After Hanson refused to depart, Senate proceedings have been suspended.
Hanson, a senator for Queensland, first rose to prominence within the Nineties due to her strident opposition to immigration from Asia and to asylum seekers, and has lengthy campaigned in opposition to Islamic clothes throughout her parliamentary profession. She beforehand wore a burqa to parliament in 2017, additionally calling for a nationwide ban on the time. Hanson’s One Nation social gathering has 4 seats within the Senate, gaining two in Could’s common election amid rising assist for far-right anti-immigration insurance policies.
In a press release later posted on Fb, Hanson stated her actions have been in protest on the Senate rejecting her proposed invoice. “So if the Parliament won’t ban it, I will display this oppressive, radical, non-religious head garb that risk our national security and the ill-treatment of women on the floor of our parliament so that every Australian knows what’s at stake,” Hanson stated within the assertion.
“If they don’t want me wearing it – ban the burqa.”
(Reporting by Christine Chen in Sydney; Modifying by Michael Perry)
