Canada's Mounties allowed to wear hijabs
The Canadian Mounties will let Muslim women on the famed national police force wear hijabs as part of their uniform if they want.
The move to allow the garment, which covers a woman's head and neck, was aimed at recruiting more female Muslims to the Mounties, spokesman Scott Bardsley said. About 20% of Mounties are women, according the force's website.
"The Royal Canadian Mounted Police is a progressive and inclusive police service that values and respects persons of all cultural and religious backgrounds," Bardsley said.
The change was made in January but only revealed last week. There were no current requests from officers to wear the hijab on duty, Staff Sgt. Julie Gagnon told CBC.
The announcement comes as French coastal towns have come under criticism for imposing a temporary ban on the "burkini," a Muslim-friendly swimsuit that covers a woman's body except for her face, hands and feet.
5 things to know about French burkini bans
The bans were introduced amid an uptick in anti-Muslim feeling after a series of terrorist attacks in the country, notably in Nice where 86 people were killed in July when a truck drove into the Bastille Day crowd. Supporters of the bans say they help France uphold security and secular traditions. Critics argue the bans are an affront to human and religious rights.
About 3% of Canadians are Muslim, making them the second largest religion after Christianity.
The Mounties wear distinguishing uniforms that feature a wide-brimmed hat, red serge jackets, leather riding boots and 19th century-style breeches.
Women were only permitted to join the Canadian Mounties in 1975. Mounties who are of the Sikh religion have been allowed to wear turbans since 1990.
A number of other police forces around the world have adopted uniforms that give Muslim women the option of wearing the hijab, including London's Metropolitan Police in 2001. In May 2015, a Somali woman became Minnesota's first police officer to wear a police-issued hijab.
This week police in Scotland announced that the hijab would be part of its uniform.