36-year-old Angela Kempeners is the first niqab-wearing woman to be put off public transport since the Netherlands implemented its burka ban on August 1st.
Earlier this week an Arriva bus driver in Stein asked her to get off the bus. She refused and the bus driver called the police. Twenty minutes later, a police officer arrived and asked her to go. Which she did.
Arriva said the incident was “not in accordance with the guidelines” – Arriva instructed its employees not to enforce the ban.
According to the public transit company’s guidelines, drivers must always focus on de-escalation and must not stop the vehicle or disrupt the schedule.
Despite the ban, travelers with a valid ticket can not be forced to leave the vehicle because the company has a duty to offer transport, Arriva said in its guidelines, according to Trouw.