Headscarf ban in schools in Austria. Threat of fines to families

Opponents of the ban organize demonstrations attended by hundreds of people across the country.

37-year-old Zehra, who attended the demonstration in the capital Vienna and did not want to disclose her last name, said that her two daughters, aged nine and 13, were angry and upset about the ban.

Speaking to AFP, Zehra said, "We raise our children by saying that they can decide who they want to be, and this law imposes the exact opposite."

12-year-old Seham, who said that she was afraid to take off her headscarf at school, stated that the headscarf she had been wearing for two years had become a part of herself.

Seham noted that after discussions with administrators, she was allowed to wear an alternative, non-traditional headscarf, but she would still prefer to wear a full headscarf.

12-year-old Sandy, who started using the headscarf about a year ago, also stated that she attaches great importance to her religion and wants to live her faith.

A teacher who worked with two students affected by the ban in Vienna and did not want to give his name said that they did not see any signs that the children were being forced.

Explaining that students spent weeks adapting to the new rules and finding acceptable alternatives, the teacher said that the situation had reached very disturbing levels for them.