The anti-immigration mayor of a northern Italian city has barred Muslim women from wearing the controversial body-concealing swimsuit known as a burqini, an Italian newsagency has reported.

Women wearing the garment made up of a veil, a tunic and loose leggings face a fine of 500 euros ($850) if spotted at swimming pools or riversides in the northern Piedmont town of Varallo Sesia, said the ANSA news agency on Wednesday.

"The sight of a 'masked woman' could disturb small children not to mention problems of hygiene," mayor Gianluca Buonanno was quoted as saying.

"We don't have to be tolerant all the time," he said.

Justifying the move, Buonanno added: "Imagine a Western woman bathing in a bikini in a Muslim country. The consequences could be decapitation, prison or deportation. We are merely prohibiting the use of the burqini."

Last week a swimming pool in Paris refused entry to a burqini-clad Muslim on similar grounds, adding to tensions over Muslim dress in France.

The incident came as French MPs conducted hearings on whether to ban the burqa after President Nicolas Sarkozy said the head-to-toe body covering and veil was "not welcome" in France, home to Europe's biggest Muslim minority.

The Australian creator of the birqini swimsuit said last week that the French do not want Muslims to integrate. (Incorrect, it is muslims who will not assimilate - hence this horrid clothing fiasco)
Buonanno belongs to Italy's Northern League, a party allied with the centre-right People of Freedom led by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

It has backed several initiatives hostile to Muslims. Incorrect - muslims are hostile to anything not of the koran.

I am doing some research on cultural adoption and adaptation in Australia.  I will be posting a link to my research here on the forum later today.  Given your comments here, I suppose you might be interested...in the simplest terms, it is about whether or not Chinese people in Australia should live according to Chinese and/or Australian values (and whether or not they are) and how Anglo-Australians get along with Chinese people in Australia (i.e. ethnic relations).

It is basically a 10 or 15 minute online questionnaire (anonymous participation).  If you can't find a link to participate but would like to, please send me a message.   Also if you think its valuable research, please encourage any Anglo-Australians or Chinese people in Australia you know to also participate.