In the Netherlands, the national police force’s anti-racism coordinator declares that female police officers should be allowed to wear headscarves.

In an interview with Dutch newspaper NRC, the Dutch police force’s national coordinator against racism and discrimination, Johan van Renswoude, called for greater inclusion within the police force. He said police officers should have the right to wear headscarves and other religious symbols at work.

The coordinator argues that, in this day and age, we need to “allow for diversity, including in appearances”. Religious symbols are currently banned for police officers in the Netherlands.

This year, Van Renswoude was appointed coordinator following a series of disturbing reports on racism within the police force. (Former) police officers had denounced the way in which they or colleagues were intimidated, harassed and discriminated against because of their skin color or origin, without the slightest intervention from police management.

Van Renswoude recognizes that the debate on the authorization of religious signs and clothing is a sensitive issue, also within the police force. He therefore wishes to convene a committee of experts to discuss the matter further.

The concept of the principle of neutrality is being called into question, and the Dutch are asking themselves whether wearing a religious symbol such as a headscarf, yarmulke or cross is an obstacle to neutrality or whether, on the contrary, it creates more of a bond with the population.

Justice Minister Yesilgöz, known for her virulent Islamophobia, opposed religious dress in the police, citing the principle of neutrality. However, the national coordinator against discrimination and racism, Rabin Baldewsingh, had indicated in September that he disagreed with the neutrality argument. In his view, wearing religious symbols does not affect the professionalism and neutrality of civil servants. “I think the idea that they cannot perform their function impartially is incorrect and unnecessarily stigmatizing,” he said at the time.

The Dutch Institute for Human Rights had already declared in 2017 that the police were discriminating by prohibiting a Rotterdam employee from wearing a headscarf while in uniform.

Although most Western countries do not allow police officers to wear religious clothing, several countries have opted for a policy of inclusion without religious discrimination. The Scottish police have designed an official headscarf that female officers are allowed to wear. There is also an official headscarf in New Zealand and England.

Source : https://nos.nl/artikel/2450619-coordinator-racismebestrijding-politie-vindt-dat-agent-met-hoofddoek-moet-kunnen?fbclid=IwAR2wnlqW96z5EsWyey3IkuvtymDH_dZu0IjLpyu8zz52HDporZbvQwiBu-Y