The skirmish erupted on Sunday after tourists allegedly took photos of women in burkinis; Cannes and Villeneuve-Loubet have also banned the garment from their beaches in recent weeks
A woman in a burkini
Bastia: A mayor on the French island of Corsica yesterday became the third nationwide to announce a ban on burkinis, after the full-body Islamic swimsuit allegedly sparked violent clashes.
The creek in Corsica where a violent fight happened on Sunday, leaving four wounded. Pic/AFP
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The Riviera resorts of Cannes and Villeneuve-Loubet have also banned the garment from their beaches in recent weeks, at a highly sensitive time for relations with France’s Muslim community following a series of jihadist attacks. The new ban in the Corsican village of Sisco comes after a massive brawl on Saturday between locals and families of North African origin.
It is not entirely clear how the fight broke out, but one witness said it happened after tourists took pictures of women swimming in burkinis on the Mediterranean island.
Five people were injured and three cars were burned as the rival sides hurled stones and bottles. A hundred police officers were mobilised to break up the fight.
Prosecutors in nearby Bastia said an inquiry had been opened to determine how the clashes broke out. Sisco mayor Pierre-Ange Vivoni said burkinis would be banned in the area from today.
In Corsica, there were tense scenes on Sunday as around 500 people gathered in the town of Bastia, seeking to enter the Lupino district which is home to a large North African community. "We’re going up there because this is our home," they shouted. Police blocked them from entering. A series of incidents in Corsica have raised tensions between local Muslims and their neighbours.
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