Ghent can cover clothes in all pools, but go … (Gent)

Ghent –
The Ghent City Council has decided that from September 1st, all kinds of body-covering clothing, including a boerkini, will be allowed in all pools in the city. At the same time, the city is appealing the verdict that overturned Boerkin's ban.

A decision of the Ghent Court of First Instance on the ban on swimming in a boerkini in the Van Eyck swimming pool in Ghent is a source of controversy. According to the judge, the ban is discriminatory and legally ineffective.

Prohibiting swimming in the boerkini "for hygienic reasons" or "for security reasons" is not justified, as the government itself has provided scientific evidence.

In the verdict, the City Council of Ghent is responsible for immediately allowing bathers wearing swimsuits in the Van Eyck urban pool.

In addition, the City has six months to amend its by-laws and make an exception. swimmers who "wear swimsuits covering the body for their religious beliefs or beliefs"

ALSO READ. Antwerp refuses to recognize the verdict of Gents, the ban on boerkini remains in force: "It is not a question of hygiene, but of oppression"

Illness of skin

Officially the verdict is not yet made van Gent responded with a press release Friday afternoon after a consultation between the parties SP.A, Groen and Open VLD. The discussion around the place of religion, and in particular Islam, has created ferocious discussions between the three parties in Ghent for years.

The city of Ghent appealed the new judgment. It is striking that the city council does not declare that it is fundamentally at odds with the verdict and the removal of the ban on swimming in the burkini. She calls it only "too restrictive".

The reasoning is this: if clothes covering the body must be allowed for religious reasons, this should also be possible for someone with, for example, a skin disease or burns. But also: to make an exception, only for religion, is it possible?

It says in the press release: "The City Council finds the sentence too restrictive because it refers to religion and the philosophy of life.] Authorized in all pools ]

Meanwhile, clothes covering the body will be allowed in all pools of Ghent from September 1. This was not, however, in the judgment of the judge.The reasoning is that the city can not not allow the burkini in one pool, but not in the other.There was no ban on the Blaarmeersen, so nothing needs to be changed.

Here's what the press release says "In light of the verdict and taking into account these issues, the Commission decides to allow swimsuits covering everyone. in all pools, as long as it is made of terry cloth and is sufficiently contiguous Safety and hygiene are now the only guideline for the assessment of what is allowed in urban pools. "

This means that this summer the signs in Ghent pools are placed with icons on what is and what is not allowed (see below), need to be adjusted.

It will take some time before boerkini bathmers will emerge in the Van Eyck pool in Ghent City Council decided a few years ago to reduce the opening hours of the pool for reasons of the future. Van Eyck is completely closed for two months this summer