Excerpt:
On July 1, Switzerland's southernmost canton of Ticino enforced a law banning the wearing of the burqa (traditional Islamic headdress for women) in public places.
Described by some as one of the most beautiful and quiet places in Europe, the region on the border of Italy — with the exception of its international film festival — has managed to stay out of Swiss and international headlines. That is, until now.
This law has been a long time coming, having been drafted in 2013 following a referendum that resulted in a 65 percent vote to ban the burqa in public places.