Up to 5,000 protesters, mainly Muslim women in scarves, rallied in Paris that day. French president Jacques Chirac had announced the ban in December.

Participants in the youthful London rally traveled from as far as Birmingham, Manchester, Leicester, and West Wales. They chanted, “Stop this racist law, before they make some more,” and “What do we want? Women’s rights/human rights.” Militant reporters talked to immigrants from Malaysia, Sudan, Iraq, Nigeria, Bosnia, Macedonia, Kosova, Morocco, and the Indian subcontinent at the rally.

A MAB statement said, “There can be no doubt that such laws represent a gross breach of human rights and a contravention of the notions of secularism which uphold personal freedoms and liberties, including the right to religious expression and worship.”

“We fear that the British government could follow suit,” said Soha El-Samman from London. Seven German states backed legislation barring the hijab during a recent meeting of 16 regional ministers in Darmstadt.

In the days leading up to the protests MAB representative Ihtisham Hibatullah told Islam on Line that thousands would join the actions. “The French government must realize that it has made a huge mistake,” he said, “by forbidding Muslim students and employees from wearing as they wish and as their religion stipulates.”

Nabil Al-Ebadi, a student from London, told Militant reporters that the ban was a “violation of human rights and a repression of our religious beliefs, which might spread.”

“They are trying to make Muslims look like terrorists,” said Abbas Zayni. His brother, Yusif, added, “Wearing the hijab is a question of choice.”

“They try to give reasons for their wars,” said 17-year-old Munir Eljaouhari. “When they go to war again they justify it by using ‘terrorism’ as an excuse. They just want money. The British did this in Iraq, Iran, Congo and Zimbabwe, and the rest of Africa. They want to separate people by pushing Muslims into their own group who don’t have a say in anything.”

While the majority at the MAB-organized protest identified themselves as Muslim, they appealed for support from a broader range of groups. Speakers at the demonstration included individuals from Jewish, Catholic, Sikh, and other religious groups, as well as trade unions and anti-racist organizations.

A separate demonstration through London of around 2,000 people was organized by Hizb ut-Tahrir, which describes itself as a “global Islamic political party.” The group marched under banners with reactionary slogans such as “Challenge secularism,” “Secularism has failed the world,” and “The hijab is freedom for women.”  
 
 
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