In Italy, Supreme Court has ruled against a Sikh migrant who wanted to carry a ceremonial knife in public.
It said that migrants who choose to live in Italy must respect Italian laws prohibiting the carrying of weapons even though many Sikhs regard ceremonial knives as sacred.
The court acknowledged that diversity in a multi-ethnic society is important. But it ruled that public safety from weapons was of paramount importance and superseded an individual’s rights.
The man had argued that his knife (or kirpan), as well as his turban, were symbols of his religion and wearing them was part of his religious duty. But the court in Rome ruled that migrants must ensure that their beliefs are legally compatible with host countries.
