Third French town issues burqini ban after Corsica clashes

A mayor on the French island of Corsica on Monday becomes the third nationwide to announce a ban on burqinis, after the full-body Islamic swimsuit allegedly sparked violent clashes.

The Riviera resorts of Cannes and Villeneuve-Loubet banned the garment from their beaches in recent weeks, at a highly sensitive time for relations with France’s Muslim community following a series of jihadist attacks.

The new ban in the Corsican village of Sisco comes after a massive brawl on Saturday between locals and families of North African origin.

It is not entirely clear how the fight broke out, but one witness says it happened after tourists took pictures of women swimming in burqinis on the Mediterranean island.

Five people are injured and three cars are burned as the rival sides hurl stones and bottles. A hundred police officers are mobilized to break up the fight.

— AFP