Face coverings like the niqab should be banned, we all like personal freedom but there is the flip side of societal responsibilities, no one has absolute freedom to do as they please, otherwise there would be anarchy, all societies since the beginning of time had unwritten rules & such, in some Islamic societies, the niqab is acceptable but in the West, we have evolved and do not accept covering one's identity.

In addition, the niqab is a symbol of female oppression, just like the swastika & the Klan hood are symbols of racist bigotry, the Liberal chattering class would never accept the public display of these offensive symbols so why do they support the niqab?