Austria’s School Hijab Ban Sparks Protests

As the new school year begins in Austria, a ban on girls under the age of 14 wearing hijabs at local schools has sparked protests. Demonstrations have taken place not only in the streets but also in classrooms, where dozens of pupils have refused to comply with the ban.

Austria’s conservative-led government insists that the ban, which took effect on 1 September, is intended to promote gender equality and protect Muslim pupils from “segregation and oppression”, AFP reported on Thursday (15 October 2026).

Critics, however, argue that the policy disproportionately targets Muslims, violates religious freedom and forces girls to dress in a way that makes them uncomfortable.

According to Austria’s Education Ministry, since the ban came into force, education authorities across the country have held 127 meetings with parents and filed 52 reports over alleged violations of the law.

Groups opposing the ban have also staged protests in various parts of Austria, with hundreds of demonstrators attending each event.

At a protest in Vienna, a resident named Zehra, 37, said her two daughters, aged nine and 13, felt “sad and angry” about the ban.

“We are raising our children by teaching them that they are free to decide who they want to be — and this law runs completely counter to that principle,” Zehra said.

Seham, a 12-year-old Muslim pupil, said she was “afraid” to take off her hijab at school. “I have been wearing it for two years, and it feels like part of me,” she said.

After discussions with the school, Seham said she was allowed to cover her hair with an alternative head covering that was not considered traditional. Even so, she said she would “prefer to wear the hijab as usual”.

Government statistics from 2021 show that around eight per cent of Austria’s nine million residents are Muslim. A 2024 report by a European human rights body found that Muslims in Austria experienced the highest levels of racism and discrimination compared with Muslims in other EU countries.

Austria’s school hijab ban challenged in Constitutional Court

The Islamic Religious Community in Austria, which supports the legal challenge to the school hijab ban, said it had received around 70 reports from families about difficulties arising from the implementation of the rule.

“A law justified on the grounds of protecting children’s welfare is instead putting pressure on those children at school,” the Islamic Religious Community in Austria said.

The Constitutional Court confirmed to AFP that it had received a legal challenge to the ban. A ruling is expected in the first half of 2027.

Under the law, if a pupil refuses to comply, the school must hold a series of discussions with the pupil and her parents before referring the case to the education authorities. If the parents continue to disregard the ban, they may ultimately be fined.