PARIS, April 10 (UPI) -- As France prepares to begin its burqa ban, some French police say when it comes to enforcement they have "other things to do."
The law going into effect Monday states, with certain exceptions, any person wearing clothing in public concealing the face is liable for a fine of 30,000 euros ($217). Anyone forcing a third party to do so may be fined 30,000 euros ($43,500) or 60,000 euros ($87,000) if that third party is a minor, Radio France Internationale reported Sunday.
The law has been seen as targeting the Muslim the niqab which covers solely the face and the burqa which covers the whole body. Last week French police received a flier telling them how to enforce the law although some say they feel conflicted about enforcement.
"I can tell you that police today have other things to do than to solve the problem of the full veil in France," said Yannick Danio of France's police union, SGP, adding it is still police duty to enforce the law. "If I see a violation in public, in this case, a veiled woman, I must make it stop. I have to ask for identification."
To accomplish this, police will ask for removal of the veil. If the person refuses, police cannot force her (assuming it's a woman) to do so. They will then detain her.
"It will mean going to a police station, with all the security measures that entails, including a pat down -- which can only be done by a woman," Danio said, adding if the woman still refuses to take the veil off, she will be brought before a judge.
For him, this is extra work for already overworked police officers.
"You can say that it's not a priority for our colleagues," he says.
