#Burkiniban: London campaigners throw 'beach party' outside French embassy

Campaigners are holding a 'Wear What You Want' beach party at the French Embassy in London on Thursday to show support for Muslim women in the country.

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2 min read

The New Arab

25 Aug, 2016

A group of British women organised a beach party protest outside the French Embassy [AFP]

A group of British women organised a beach party protest outside the French Embassy in London on Thursday in support of Muslim women after pictures of French police forcing a woman to take her top off on a Nice beach earlier this week went viral.

Appalled and angered by the images, a 'Wear What You Want' beach party protest was organised to take place Thursday afternoon to show solidarity with Muslim women.

"We are disgusted to hear of armed French policemen telling women what they are allowed to wear and making them undress in public," the campaigners said on the event page.

Over 4,000 people were invited to the event via Facebook.

The campaigners called supporters to "come along to the French embassy and wear what you want - BURKINIS, BIKINIS, ANYTHING GOES. Bring beach gear: beach umbrellas, towels, bat and ball, boules…"

"Women have the right to WEAR WHATEVER THEY WANT," they said, urging for a show of solidarity with French Muslim women and calling "for the repeal of this oppressive law by the French Government."

As part of the campaign others social media users took to Twitter to share pictures of themselves on the beach using the hashtag #wearwhatyouwant

Some 30 towns in France introduced a ban on the burkini, a bathing outfit that covers the hair and body, drawing protests from French Muslims who say the ban is discriminatory and sexist.

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