[pjkundert]

Liberty: the ability to freely choose to self-restrict behavior.

Tyranny: restricting behavior due to fear of reprisal.

Please don't mistake one for the other.

That's why Nuns (who can choose to wear garb or nothing at all, at any time) are not equivalent to those forced to wear garb on threat of acid burns for non-compliance.

A society that does not protect those under threat of violence for trivial clothing choice violations cannot claim to love liberty, can it?

[panglott]

You're implying that the only reason women wear burkinis is the fear of acid attacks and reprisal. You can't know what motivates people to wear burkinis. But the harm there is the acid attacks and threat of reprisal, not the wearing of the burkini—even under this theory, you're bringing the power of the state to bear on the victim. When you make it a police matter, you're also invoking the threat of state violence to restrict behavior due to fear of reprisal.

[pjkundert]

I'm reciting some basic tenets of liberty.

I find these French town's responses tragic/comical, and agree with you -- the state is bringing its force to bear on the victim.

Like police the world over, who know (trivially) that it is much safer to harass the law-abiding (who will cower and comply) rather than confront the violent (who might shoot them in the face), these socialist mayors seem to know that it is safer to force these already oppressed women to comply, than go into the dangerous ghettos and confront those forcing them to bear this garb in the first place.

Solution? I don't know -- perhaps some immigration tests on whether applicants agree with Supremacist and anti-liberty doctrines (ie. Sharia), or are prepared to defend the liberty of the oppressed?

France surely would reject an immigrant who is a self-proclaimed Aryan Supremacist thug who wants to enforce his beliefs on others. Perhaps they should likewise resist Islamist Supremacists who want to enforce their rules on others? I'm sure that the multitudes of liberty-loving Muslims in France who desire their women to have full freedom to dress as they wish without fear of reprisal would appreciate it, too...

Once wearing this garb is associated with liberty (as is the wearing of a Nun's robes -- everyone knows they can choose to stop at any time), I'm pretty sure liberty-loving people will no longer mind the "burkini" being worn in public.