Australian far-right Senator Pauline Hanson wore a burqa in Parliament on Monday (Nov 24) as a political statement aimed at banning the Muslim garment in public, prompting accusations of racism from Muslim senators. Hanson donned the burqa shortly after being denied permission to introduce a bill that would prohibit burqas and other full-face coverings in public spaces across Australia. This marked the second time she has used the garment in Parliament to push for such a ban.

Her appearance sparked outrage in the Senate, leading to the suspension of proceedings when she refused to remove the burqa. Mehreen Faruqi, a Greens senator from New South Wales, described Hanson’s actions as “blatant racism,” while independent senator Fatima Payman from Western Australia called the stunt “disgraceful.”

Leaders from both sides of politics condemned her actions. Labor Senate leader Penny Wong said they were “not worthy of a member of the Australian Senate” and moved a motion to suspend Hanson. After Hanson refused to leave, Senate proceedings were halted. Hanson, representing Queensland, first gained national attention in the 1990s for her strong opposition to Asian immigration and asylum seekers and has consistently campaigned against Islamic clothing. She previously wore a burqa in Parliament in 2017 while calling for a national ban.

Her One Nation party holds four Senate seats, including two won in May’s election amid growing support for far-right, anti-immigration policies. In a Facebook statement, Hanson defended her actions as a protest against the Senate rejecting her proposed bill, saying she wore the garment to highlight what she described as its threat to national security and the mistreatment of women, and challenged Parliament to ban the burqa if they opposed her actions.