The administrative court in Marseille ruled that a local ban on wearing a burkini violates fundamental rights in a serious and unlawful manner. The ruling came after a confrontation between police and a Muslim woman wearing the religious swimwear, which sparked public debate.

The court struck down a local order issued by the mayor of a town on the French Riviera, which prohibited swimming in a burkini — a full-body swimsuit often worn by Muslim women. The judges found that the order “constitutes a severe and unlawful violation of fundamental rights” and could not be justified by legitimate safety or health concerns.

René-François Carpentier, the mayor of the town, had defended the order on safety grounds, arguing that full-body swimsuits do not provide adequate buoyancy, according to Archimedes’ principle. He claimed that such swimwear increases the risk of drowning, thus posing a danger to swimmers and rescue teams.