“By overturning a discriminatory ban that is fuelled by and is fuelling prejudice and intolerance, today's decision has drawn an important line in the sand,” Amnesty's Europe director John Dalhuisen said.
“French authorities must now drop the pretence that these measures do anything to protect the rights of women,” he said.
#burkini Il faut apporter une réponse à ces provocations communautaristes. Je réaffirme que c'est à l'Etat de légiférer. #ConseildEtat
— Christian Estrosi (@cestrosi) August 26, 2016
The office of Nice's mayor denied that the woman had been forced to remove clothing, telling AFP she was showing police the swimsuit she was wearing under her top, over a pair of leggings, when the picture was taken.
The police fined her and she left the beach, the officials added.