Man in shark suit falls foul of Austria’s anti-burka law

Young man is given a citation under rules that prohibit any kind of full-face covering

A young man wearing a shark suit has been given a citation under Austria’s ‘burka ban’ law. File photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
A young man wearing a shark suit has been given a citation under Austria’s ‘burka ban’ law. File photograph: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

A young man wearing a shark suit has been given a citation under Austria’s “burka ban” law.

The country has a law that forbids any kind of full-face covering, including Islamic veils.

Austrian police issued a citation on Monday after the man, who was part of a street advertising campaign for the McShark computer chain, refused several requests to take off his shark head.

From this month, most full-face coverings are prohibited in public in Austria, including off-slope ski masks, surgical masks outside hospitals and party masks on the street.

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Popularly known as the “burka ban”, the law is mostly seen as directed at the clothing worn by some conservative Muslim women.

Violations carry a possible fine of €150.

Only a handful of citations have been issued.

AP