If muslims are allowed wear veils am I allowed to wear a balaclava and not expect to be stopped by the police?

Answer 1

I think everyone should do it just to make a point...what they gonna do? Throw us all in prison?

Answer 2

If this country is actually not racist or unfair in anyway yes you should be able to do that, muslim women can hide their face why shouldn't you be allowed? I've had the same thought, but I thought that balaclavas were illegal to wear in public for the reason they hid your identity exactly the same way veils do... something doesn't add up in the fairness stakes here,I feel someone gets a little extra special treatment so as not to offend their religion.

Answer 3

You cannot be arrested simply for wearing a balaklava.

However, if a police officer suspects that you may be involved in a crime then surely it is up to you to prove you had no involvement (if necessary by removing your balaklava to prove you don't match the description of the offender). If oyu insist that you will not remove the headwear then it ups the suspicion of the police officer and you are likely to be arrested ON SUSPICION of committing an offence. If it so happened that the description of the offender was an asian woman wearing a black burkha, and an asian woman in a black burkha and a veil then ran past, i would like to think that the police officer would go after this person too and if necessary, ask her to remove her veil.

Incidentally, there is one occasion i know of when REFUSAL TO REMOVE headgear is an arrestable offence (i.e. not wearing it in the firstplace, but refusing to remove it). If an Assistant Chief Constable or above has authorised use of stop and search powers under the Terrorism Act 2000 (ss 44-45), then the removal of headgear is allowed (as well as footwear, an outer coat, jacket or gloves). This search has to be done by an officer of the same sex as the personbeing searched.

Answer 4

I'd stop someone in the street wearing a balaclava, take it off and make them stare at the nearest CCTV camera. Because unless it's minus 5 outside, noone wears a balaclava.

(I assume you mean the ski mask sort with seperate eye holes, and not the big hole jobby).

As for muslims, muslim women aren't in the habit of breaking into houses e.t.c.

Answer 5

I suggest you wear your Balaclava,take a female friend with you,wearing a veil of course. Be sure to go where you would be seen by many,including police officers,and see what happens?!!!What would their reaction be? Might be fun to find out!!!!!!!
Some folk seem to be under the impression,veils are for religious purposes,they are NOT! Its a cultural thing!

Answer 6

Go into a bank with a muslim woman ,,she wearing her veil and you wearing the balaclava,,I wonder which one of you would be asked to remove the item of attire so as not to scare the bank staff

Answer 7

You make a valid point and contrary to others points of view I do not think you are being racist. Covering your face whether it be with a veil, balaclava or anything else should not be allowed for security reasons. It is not a religious issue it is simply a matter of security. Caps, burberry and hoodies represent a chavs identity and for many chavs, being a chav is their religion, however they are banned from certain pubs e.t.c so if it is o.k for them to be banned then it is o.k for veils to be banned. I doubt if I would be allowed into a Mosque in a low cut top and short skirt!

Answer 8

A couple of my dear friends are victimised by having there car windows covered in paint and smashed car windows.
when my friend went to chase them he was a little slow and could not catch them fortunately for them as he would have killed one of them.
He is Turkish married to a English girl.
They feel prisoners in their own house with no escape.
This occurrence has happen twice and is still going on.
The scum that he saw running away wore balaclavas,
I know that you are not one of these and it would never considering hurting or harming any one.
Because you would not ask the question in the first place. but with a lot of people you would be tared with the same brush as those whom committed the crime.
My mum used to make me ware a balaclavas when I was young in the fifties as it kept me warm in the winter and I would never or my friends would commit a crime.
We respected people and our selves in those days though we were a little bit racial, but not me.
I hope this is helpful.
Wish you all the best in the future.
A

Answer 9

This sounds like the American vehicular crime of DWB - Driving While Black, an automatic stop and search if ever there was one (Option of severe beating at officers discression).

However, veils are not necessarily religiouse taking Mohameds words as they were written. Mohamed stated that a man should not look at a womans face, I think the idea was that this could lead to all sorts of sexual ideas. In order to prevent men from looking at their feet all of the time, the veil was offered as a compromise. This is only in certain sects. Many muslim women do not cover their faces. It might therefore be argued that this is cultural and not religious.

If you want to wear a balaclava thoug - go ahead. I will not stop you.

Answer 10

We can't wear hoods and face coverings when we enter shops, but we can wear them outside, thats fine with me, for the record though, when shops ban hoods and face coverings, this should mean everyone. ie. Muslim women, IRA terrorists, and teenagers.
You have to admit though, before this
"Fashionable Demonisation" of muslims, noone gave a toss about veils. Also "Fashionable Demonisation" of teenagers tried to stop them wearing hoods.
When will everyone realise that the crap on the news is only propaganda against baddies on the day. But it is funny reading all the comments on here. As if you all actually believe whats written in the tabloids. Or do you really believe all this.

Answer 11

No mate - this was reported in the press recently where a guy wore one of those ski mask type ones and was threatened with arrest by the police if he didn't remove it. Lets remember the veil is NOT a religious item of clothing it is a cultural thing. Try doing what YOU want to do and wear in Islamabad or Saudi Arabia on 'cultural' grounds and then sue if you don't get your own way. See how far you get. If hoodies, hats, baseball caps, helmets and balaclavas should be removed for security reasons so should veils. After all we are all equal aren't we?