Lorraine Williamson
The mayor of Ripoll, Sílvia Orriols, has ignited controversy after enforcing a ban on burkinis in the town’s public swimming pool. She claims the full-body swimwear poses a safety risk during rescue operations—an assertion flatly rejected by water safety experts.
Orriols, who heads the far-right party Aliança Catalana, argues that burkinis complicate emergency rescues, citing the potential difficulty in pulling someone from the water or performing CPR. She frames the move as a technical safety measure rather than a religious restriction.
However, experts in aquatic rescue say the justification doesn’t hold water. Oriol Canals, vice-president of the Catalan Association of Water Rescue Companies (AECSA), called the argument “nonsense.” According to Canals, rescue equipment is robust enough to handle multiple people, even when clothed. He also explained that in rare cases where garments need to be removed during resuscitation, scissors are used—just as with any other type of clothing.
Canals also pointed out that in cultures such as China, it’s common for swimmers to wear full-body clothing, yet they are not singled out or banned.
Legal and cultural tensions
The ban is the latest in a series of polarising decisions by Orriols, who has openly stated her intention to extend restrictions on Islamic dress to local schools and public buildings. She insists the measures are about “equality” and “safety,” but critics view them as discriminatory and unconstitutional.
Spanish courts have previously ruled on such matters. In 2013, the Supreme Court struck down a municipal burka ban in Lleida, affirming that such policies violate fundamental rights to religious freedom and expression.
Despite this precedent, Orriols seems determined to push legal boundaries. Her public statements and policy decisions suggest a broader political agenda aimed at limiting visible Islamic identity in public spaces.
Community reaction and lack of evidence
The new pool regulations were quietly added to the municipal website, stating that only swimwear deemed safe is allowed, specifically excluding garments like the burkini. The updated rules claim the aim is to ensure swimmer safety and hygiene.
Orriols has alleged that several residents withdrew their memberships due to the presence of burkini-wearing women, yet the town council has admitted it holds no concrete data to support such claims. There’s been no official evidence that burkinis have caused any incidents at the facility.
While Ripoll has not released figures on how many women were directly affected, the decision has triggered national headlines and renewed debates on religious freedom, racism, and inclusion in Catalan municipalities.
A bigger picture in a heated climate
The issue reflects wider tensions in Spain and across Europe, where debates over Islamic dress often intersect with political rhetoric on identity, security, and integration. Ripoll, a small town in the Catalan Pyrenees, gained attention in the past due to its links with radicalisation—something Orriols frequently invokes to justify her hardline stance.
But as legal scholars and civil rights organisations point out, targeting religious garments under the guise of safety rarely holds up in court—and often fuels division rather than cohesion.
Rule change or rights violation?
The Ripoll burkini ban has become more than just a local swimwear regulation—it’s a flashpoint in the ongoing battle over religious expression and far-right influence in Spanish politics. With expert opinion stacked against her and legal precedents firmly protecting religious freedom, Orriols may soon face legal challenges to her latest decree.
Whether the rule remains in force or is overturned, it’s clear the debate has already struck a deeper chord, one that reaches far beyond the edges of a municipal pool.