PARIS, Sept 13: A Muslim policewoman in Paris has annoyed her superiors and stoked a national debate in France over headscarves after refusing to take off her own head covering on religious grounds, a police union said on Monday.

The woman, a traffic officer identified only as Nora C., refused an order given August 25 to take off a small headscarf that she wears under her uniform cap, the union said, confirming a report in a news magazine, L'Express.

She reiterated her stance the next day when she met another superior officer, whose hand she declined to shake, the union, Synergie, said. -AFP