Granada has become the latest municipality the burka and niqab from public buildings this week.
Both Granada City Council and the Provincial Council have approved motions – pushed by Vox and backed by the PP, which holds an absolute majority in both institutions – to block entry to anyone wearing garments that fully cover the face.
Similar motions were yesterday approved in Rincon de la Victoria and Alhuarin el Grande, both in Malaga.
At Granada City Hall, the motion passed with 15 PP votes and 2 from Vox, while the PSOE voted against.
Vox spokesperson Beatriz Sanchez Agustino insisted the move is ‘not about racism or Islamophobia’ but about ensuring security and proper identification during in-person administrative procedures.
‘We don’t want any woman locked in a fabric prison, nor Islamism gaining ground in our streets,’ she then said.
PP government spokesperson Jorge Saavedra backed the measure, arguing it goes beyond security and is also about protecting ‘dignity’ and women’s equality – even suggesting the ban could be extended to other public spaces.
The Granada Provincial Council also approved a similar measure, again with PP and Vox support.
The motion passed with 14 PP deputies and Vox’s representative voting in favour, while PSOE and IU opposed it.
Vox provincial deputy Gustavo de Castro described the garments as ‘a fabric prison for women’ and claimed they hinder identification and compromise security in buildings where official procedures and personal data are handled.
He warned Granada ‘cannot give in to cultural impositions that clash with the principles of equality and women’s dignity.’
The decision means full-face coverings such as the burka and niqab will no longer be permitted inside municipal or provincial government buildings in Granada.
Read more Andalucia news at the Spanish Eye.
