When Sofia Oliveira stopped at her local market to buy flowers for her grandmother, she did not expect a routine errand to leave her feeling threatened.
Accompanied by her husband and father-in-law, the Portuguese Muslim woman was confronted by a couple who pointed at her niqab, a face veil that leaves only the eyes visible, and verbally harassed her. Passers-by stared as the encounter escalated, leaving Oliveira anxious and shaken.
The incident took place before Portugal’s new law restricting face coverings came into effect in September, yet she says it reflects the hostility Muslim women already face, and the consequences of legislation presented as a means of protecting their freedom.
Special report for MEE
Accompanied by her husband and father-in-law, the Portuguese Muslim woman was confronted by a couple who pointed at her niqab, a face veil that leaves only the eyes visible, and verbally harassed her. Passers-by stared as the encounter escalated, leaving Oliveira anxious and shaken.
The incident took place before Portugal’s new law restricting face coverings came into effect in September, yet she says it reflects the hostility Muslim women already face, and the consequences of legislation presented as a means of protecting their freedom.
Special report for MEE
