The Barcelona city council on Monday announced the banning of all face coverings, including the burqa, in public areas administered by the city. Barcelona Mayor Jordi Hereu indicated that the ban was put in place out of a concern for public safety [El Pais report, in Spanish], and was not aimed at any particular religious group. He contends that it is common sense to require people entering public buildings to show their faces, and that someone wearing a motorcycle helmet will be required to follow the same regulations as someone wearing a scarf for religious purposes. The ban will affect public buildings as well as schools and market districts.
Read more on JURIST