French women wear veils in public to protest ban

Paris:  Several women protested in veils in front of Paris' Notre Dame Cathedral, denouncing France's new ban on Islamic face veils or naqabs.

Two women wearing the naqab, which has just a slit for the eyes, claimed the ban is an affront to their freedom of expression and religion.

"This is an attack on my freedom of conscience, my freedom of religion, my freedom simply of being a woman," said one of the women, who was later seen taken away in a police van.

A police officer said she was detained because the protest was not authorised she had allegedly refused to disperse when asked.

"I am going to continue to wear this," said another protester, Nawel.

In total about a dozen women took part in the protest, surrounded by journalists and tourists.

On Monday new laws made France the world's first country to ban the veils anywhere in public.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has said the veils imprison women and contradict the secular nation's values of dignity and equality.

The law says veiled women risk a 150 Euro (215 US dollar) fine or special citizenship classes, though not jail.