My sister-in-law got married in a veil in a public space in London (not an Islamic ceremony). In France today she would now be rounded up for re-education and my brother would probably be in prision - except for the following information.

To quote my father-in-law, who speaks fluent French and spends half the year there:

For me what is divisive and extremely non-British is to tell people how they should dress in public. I don't enjoy seeing people wearing a burqa, but I will defend their right to wear it with the same force as I will defend the right of people not to wear it.