Latifa Ibn Ziaten, president of the Imad Association for Youth and Peace and mother of Imad Ibn Ziaten, the first victim of Mohammed Merah in 2012, reacted strongly on BFMTV to the National Rally 's proposal to ban the hijab in public spaces. She denounced it as an attack on individual freedom and believes that the current debate is contributing to the rise of "hatred" and "racism."
“What they are presenting is dangerous. I don’t know why they are infringing on the freedom of individuals, of women,” she declared. For Latifa Ibn Ziaten, wanting to dictate how a woman should dress in public is a worrying trend. “If we have to choose what to wear when we go out, that becomes very serious,” she asserted, accusing the National Rally of not respecting women’s freedom.
"My headscarf doesn't stop me from being French."
In a message posted on X, she also recounted her own journey. “I wear a headscarf. And I am proud to be a French citizen,” she wrote, emphasizing her long-standing commitment to fighting radicalization, hatred, and violence. “My headscarf doesn’t prevent me from being French. It doesn’t prevent me from loving my country. It doesn’t prevent me from defending the Republic.”
Latifa Ibn Ziaten, however, clearly distinguishes the hijab from certain other garments. She says she is opposed to the return of the abaya to schools, which LFI would like to authorize again if they come to power, and also remains in favor of banning the burqa, believing that it is "perfectly normal" for the face to remain visible.
Jean-Philippe Tanguy, interviewed on BFMTV after her speech, asserted that the headscarf worn by Latifa Ibn Ziaten "does not fall within the definition of an Islamist veil." This statement further reignites the debate surrounding the specific details of the measure being considered by the National Rally.
