A law that forbids any kind of full- face covering, including Islamic veils such as the niqab or burqa, has come into force in Austria.

Starting on Sunday, wearing a ski mask off the slopes, a surgical mask outside hospitals and party masks in public is prohibited.

The law, popularly known as the “Burqa Ban,” is mostly seen as a directed at the dress worn by some ultra- conservative Muslim women.

Violations carry a possible fine of nearly $180. Police are authorised to use force if people resist showing their faces.

Only a small number of Muslim women in Austria wear full-face veils, but they have become a target for right-wing groups and political parties.

France and Belgium have similar laws. The nationalist Alternative for Germany party is calling for one there, too.