Italy’s League calls for burqa ban on moms picking up kids from school

Simona Pergreffi and Daniele Belotti, League deputies in Bergamo province, called for the ban, citing the security need for people in schools to be identifiable, according to Italian news agency ANSA.

The deputies reportedly sent a letter to the Minister of Education Marco Bussetti, referencing a previous decision made by the Italian constitutional court.

Pergreffi and Belotti requested the rule be put in place in all primary and secondary schools in Bergamo, arguing school staff must be able to identify who is picking up the children and that the Islamic face veils pose a threat to school security.

Islamophobia has been on the rise in Italy for years, but has been boosted by the election victory of Matteo Salvini's far-right League in March. As deputy prime minister and minister of the interior, Salvini has led the country's move to adopt anti-immigrant, xenophobic policies.

Northeastern Lombardy region was the first in Italy to ban women from wearing Islamic face veils in hospitals and local government buildings in 2015.

Measures against the wearing of Islamic veils have also been taken in Belgium, France, Denmark and Spain.