Burkini Ban in Spain Stirs Anger as Muslim Swimwear Targeted in Ripoll Town

Mayor cites ‘safety’ for banning Islamic swimwear from public pool, but critics accuse her of discrimination against Muslim women amid rising temperatures.

By Abdullahi Yusuf

A Spanish town has banned the use of burkini in its public swimming pool.

A burkini is swimwear designed for Muslim women. Mayor of the Catalan town of Ripoll – Sílvia Orriols – has signed a decree to ban the use of the burkini in public swimming pools. In a statement on her profile on X (formerly Twitter), Orriols cited “safety reasons” behind her decision.

She said: “I have signed a decree prohibiting the use of burkinis in the Ripoll municipal pool for safety reasons. I recommend that the rest of Catalan town councils do the same. This is going too far”.

In 2023, the Catalan regional government sent a letter to local councils, reminding them that women wearing burkini or going topless cannot be denied access to public swimming pools, as doing so would be a “discrimination”. The letter stated that the clothing used for the swimming pool must be “appropriate for the activity” and the genitals must be covered “to guarantee hygiene and public health”. 

The move has led to much criticism. One user posted on X: “This leaves a ton of girls and women from Ripoll without the chance to cool off this summer, when we’re experiencing record-breaking temperatures. Congratulations, Sílvia! Your humanity is on par with the sole of your shoes. Someone should take you to court. You’re going too far.”

Another added: “For safety reasons? How many cases across Europe of women wearing burkinis have required assistance? If it’s for safety reasons, you could even ban people from going out on the street, thus eliminating the risk of them being run over. This stance of yours borders on xenophobic madness.”

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