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Muslim Emmaüs Volunteer Barred from Charente Prefecture Meeting Over Headscarf

Ilham Bouhadjar, co-president of Emmaüs Ruffec, was denied entry to a meeting at the prefecture of Charente, in Angoulême, because of her headscarf.

By Betty de G.
Muslim Emmaüs Volunteer Barred from Charente Prefecture Meeting Over Headscarf

The activist was unable to participate in a meeting at the Charente prefecture on June 18 because she was wearing a headscarf. She explains to Charente Libre the sequence of events. "We had an appointment at 2 pm. I first dropped off my deputy director, Johanna Ream, in front of the gates, before going to find a parking space since we were a few minutes late. I come back and I pass the first gate of the prefecture. I enter the hall, I sign in and they make me wait," she details.

Ilham Bouhadjar is then taken to Juliette Bruneau, sub-prefect of Confolens who makes her understand "that she cannot let me in because I have a veil on my head." "She looked extremely embarrassed... I immediately retort that it is a headscarf. She explained to me ’with what is happening’ (the electoral context, editor’s note), I could not participate in the meeting."

The co-president of Emmaüs Ruffec