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The Spanish city of Lleida approved on Friday a ban on full face coverings in most public places, a move targeting wearers of Islamic burqas and niqabs.
Unlike its European neighbors such as France, Portugal, and Belgium, Spain does not have a national law that bans or restricts the use of these garments worn by some Muslim women.
Lleida, the capital of a province with a population of about 150,000 and located in the Catalonia region in northeastern Spain, had previously banned the full-face niqab in some public places in 2010, a first of its kind in Spain.
However, the Spanish Supreme Court overturned this measure in 2013 following an appeal by an Islamic association.
The court ruled that the ban violated religious freedom and exceeded the powers of the local authority, and also overturned similar measures adopted by other municipalities.
In a meeting of the Lleida City Council on Friday, a majority of 16 votes to 11 approved a municipal law amendment designed to avoid legal challenges.
The measure includes a ban on "being present or moving in public places with objects or elements that cover the face completely", without explicitly mentioning burqas or niqabs.
A burqa is a one-piece garment that covers the head and body completely, while a niqab is a face covering that leaves the eyes exposed.
The amendment allows for "exceptions related to the exercise of fundamental rights, places of worship, and spaces or uses where such practices are socially acceptable".
Violators of the new law will face a financial penalty.
The municipality stated that the Catalan Socialist Party joined in an unusual alliance with the far-right Vox party and the Catalan separatist Junts party to pass this measure.
Felix Larosa, the Socialist president of the Lleida City Council, told the municipal council, "Living together means respecting each other, and respecting each other also means following the rules".
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