Reform MSPs accused of racism over burka ban debate at Holyrood

Reform MSPs have been accused of racism after they tabled a Holyrood debate about banning face-coverings, including burkas, from public places.

Reform's deputy leader in Scotland, Thomas Kerr, lodged a motion raising the prospect of balaclavas and religious face coverings being outlawed in public in the interests of public safety.

During a debate in the chamber, he described burkas as "oppressive" and said they had "no place in modern Scotland".

First Minister Swinney said Reform MSPs were seeking to divide communities, while protesters outside Holyrood accused the party of demonising Muslim women.

Kerr's motion cited the "ongoing debate" about face coverings, "including the burka and niqab, in public places".

It said that several European countries have imposed restrictions on face coverings.

Kerr called for the Scottish government to consider the "potential benefits" of such a move "including consideration of public safety, individual liberty and community cohesion".

During a heated debate at Holyrood, he said politicians should not ignore the issue.

"A Scotland that believes in integration should encourage people to participation [sic] in public life," Kerr told MSPs.

"And a Scotland that takes public safety seriously should not be afraid to insist that in ordinary public spaces people's faces should be visible, no matter what piece of medieval and oppressive clothing they are wearing."

The comments drew angry reactions from across the chamber.

Community Safety Minister Kirsten Oswald told Kerr: "In a free and open society, it's up to people – women – what they wear."

The burka is a veil worn by some Muslim women that covers the face and body, often leaving a mesh screen to see through.

It covers more of the face than a niqab, a veil that leaves the area around the eyes clear, or a hijab which is a headscarf that in the West most commonly covers the head and neck but leaves the face clear.

EArlier, at First Minister's Questions, Swinney told parliament that he would "always defend the safety of every single community in our country and I deplore the content of the debate tonight".

He accused Reform of having "brought racism" into the Holyrood chamber.

"I've answered questions in here for many years from this podium," Swinney said.

"Not once have I been asked to ban the burka or to divide communities in our country."

Pointing towards the Reform benches, he added: "But I have been invited to do so since May, since that lot came into this parliament. That speaks for itself."

Talat Yaqoob, co-convener of Women Against The Far Right Scotland, accused Reform of racism during a speech to protesters outside parliament.

She told BBC Scotland News that while women should not be forced to wear face coverings, "the Scottish Parliament should not be involved in the policing of women".

The activist said Reform politicians were conflating the "burka and the threat of men in balaclavas", adding: "Women should be free to wear whatever they choose."

Fatma El Araby, an anti-racism campaigner who wears a face covering due to her Muslim faith, told BBC Scotland News: "It's part of my belief and no-one should decide for me what to do or not to do."

She added that integration was not about what people wore, but about how they participated in the community.

Concerns have grown in recent months about masked protesters at anti-immigration demonstrations, as well as balaclava-clad youths in city centres across the UK.

Some have called for Police Scotland to be given powers that officers have in England and Wales to set up temporary mask-free zones during protests.

For a motion to be debated in the Scottish Parliament it has to be backed by at least one member of another party.

Kerr's motion was backed by Conservative justice spokesman Stephen Kerr - though he lodged an amendment stating that "a clear distinction must be made between people peacefully wearing religious dress and those deliberately concealing their identity in circumstances connected with criminality or serious disorder".

The Tory MSP said that Reform had "wrongly conflated" two issues in the party's motion as he called for Police Scotland to be given more powers to combat "thuggery" by masked men.

While selected members' business motions are debated by parliament, they are not voted on.

In Scotland, police can order people to remove face coverings but only in strictly limited circumstances.

Under Section 60 of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, officers can stop and search pedestrians and vehicles for offensive weapons in designated areas. While the legislation does not specifically allow police to remove a face covering, it does authorise a search during which that could happen.

That can only be authorised by senior officers when there is a reasonable suspicion that serious violence could happen in the area, or that people are carrying weapons without good reason.

In England and Wales, officers can order people to remove face coverings and seize items used to conceal identity under similar circumstances cited in Scotland's Section 60.

As of April, however, officers south of the border have been empowered to declare an area a mask-free zone for up to 24 hours during protests - though exemptions are made for reasons of religion, health or work.

Those found in breach of the rules in the zones can face a £1,000 fine and up to one month in jail.

Police Scotland has said it is "monitoring the impact and effectiveness" of that legislation.

Separately in Nottingham, police and council officers have recently been given powers to order the removal of balaclavas in the city centre as part of a crackdown on antisocial behaviour.

But the move does not apply to face coverings used for religious or other legitimate reasons.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has long called for a so-called "burka ban", arguing they are "not the British way".

He announced last month that Reform would ban face coverings in public places, including burkas and balaclavas, if it won power at the next election.

Several countries - including France, Denmark, Germany, Norway, Chad and Algeria - have introduced restrictions on where face coverings can be worn.

In a recent social media post, Kerr said it was "time Scotland joined" such countries.

The Italian government approved a ban on the burka and niqab in schools earlier this year.

This was a remarkably bad-tempered debate.

Thomas Kerr was heckled throughout his speech, at one point biting back at accusations of racism.

Interventions were frequent and confrontational.

One Green MSP called the motion "fascism in action" before becoming tearful.

Things descended further into chaos when a dispute broke out over whether the session could be extended to allow more members to speak.

Nobody seemed sure about whether a vote on this could even be held, but after much furrowing of brows this was roundly rejected and proceedings clattered to a halt among a series of complaints and points of order.

Perhaps some members were left with things to get off their chest; the way parliament is set up now, with such sharply differing views between some parties, we may see more heated debates going forward.