In a Xinjiang City, No Room on the Bus for Those With Veils or Long Beards
August 06, 2014The authorities in a city in the western Chinese region of Xinjiang have banned long beards and apparel with Islamic symbols on public buses as part of an effort to increase security and ensure stability, a state-run newspaper has reported. The ban, which took effect Monday in Karamay, a city in northern Xinjiang near the border with Kazakhstan, is directed at “five groups of people,” said The Karamay Daily. These are anyone wearing headscarves, veils, hijabs or clothing bearing the crescent moon and star traditionally associated with Islam, as well as men with long beards. The ban will be in place until the conclusion of a local sports competition on Aug. 20, the newspaper said.
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The new measures announced in Karamay also prohibit passengers from carrying flammable or explosive items on buses, similar to a ban instituted last month in Urumqi, the regional capital.