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An Australian far-right lawmaker has sparked outrage among her fellow senators after arriving at parliament on Monday wearing a burqa.
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Senator Pauline Hanson was accused of racism when she appeared wearing a face covering worn by some Muslim women.
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The stunt came after she was denied permission to introduce a bill that would have banned their public activities.
The Senate trial was suspended when she refused to remove her burqa.
What other senators said
“This is a racist senator, demonstrating blatant racism and Islamophobia,” said Mehreen Farooqi, a Muslim senator from NSW. according to NBC News.
Muslim Fatima Payman from Western Australia called it “disgraceful” and “totally unconstitutional” and accused her of “disrespecting” Muslims and Muslim Australians.
Australian Greens Senate leader Larissa Waters likened her antics to a “middle finger to people of faith”, adding: “This is extremely racist and unsafe.”
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This isn't the first time Hanson has donned a burqa.
This is the second time Hanson has worn Muslim clothing in Parliament.
In 2017, she wore a full burqa in the Senate to highlight her renewed call for a nationwide ban and linking terrorism and security issues to the garment.
Hanson described Islam in a 2016 Senate speech as “culture and ideology incompatible with our own“
Her stunt comes as many in Australia are increasingly speaking out about anti-immigration policies. One nation the party doubled its seat count to four in the May elections.
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“Whatever our own beliefs, the kind of disrespect you are showing now is unbecoming of a member of the Australian Senate,” said Penny Wong, the foreign minister and leader of Australia's centre-left Labor government in the Senate.
“All of us here are deeply honored to enter this room,” Wong continued.
“We represent people of all faiths, all creeds and all backgrounds in our states. And we must do it with dignity.”
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