French Court Suspends Burkini Ban on Fréjus Beaches

Victory for the Ligue des droits de l’Homme which had filed an appeal against the decree banning swimming in burkinis on the beaches of the city of Fréjus, taken by the mayor a few days ago. "Against all odds, the court decided to suspend the municipal decree," reacted David Rachline (Rassemblement national) in a press release published on Twitter. On the same social network, Marion Ogier, the lawyer for the Ligue des droits de l’homme (LDH), announced that the city had also been ordered to pay a fine of 3,000 euros.

In the eyes of the mayor of Fréjus, this "decision goes against the general interest that I defend, goes against the safety of our citizens and goes against the basic rules of hygiene." David Rachline had taken this decree on Tuesday to prohibit "the wearing of the burkini on the public maritime domain of Fréjus", until September 17, 2023 inclusive, in order to "guarantee the safety of bathers and not complicate rescue operations in the event of a drowning incident," as stated in a press release from the mayor. According to him, the wearing of a covering and ample outfit is not compatible with basic hygiene rules.

This is not the first time the far-right mayor has banned the wearing of the burkini. He had taken a similar decision in May 2022. Following an appeal by the LDH, the Council of State had invalidated on July 17 a decree prohibiting the burkini on the grounds that it seriously and illegally infringed on the freedom of movement, freedom of conscience and personal freedom.