ROME -- The Carabinieri are investigating an incident involving verbal abuse directed at two British sisters from London who were wearing burkinis at a hotel in Sciacca in Sicily, according to their reports.

  The two women, aged 19 and 25, had wanted to use the swimming pool of the Mangia’s Torre del Barone Hotel in Sicily, wearing a burkini, a type of swimming costume often worn by Muslim women which covers the entire body, leaving only the wearer’s hands, feet, and face exposed. Two other guests at the hotel reportedly responded to this, asking, “Who knows what you’re hiding under there?”

  The two men who were identified as making the comments were both Italian, though they now reside in Switzerland and Germany. They reportedly continued their attack, telling the women that their swimming costumes did not guarantee hygiene.

  The men were heard saying, "You need to wash yourself, it's unhygienic to enter the pool in a tracksuit, shame on you". 

  Another hotel guest stepped in to defend the Brits before hotel staff formally intervened. 

  “We firmly condemn every incident of racism,” the hotel manager, Keswan Monien said. 

  “It was me who called the Carabinieri. What happened is a very serious incident, it had never happened before, there is no distinction between race and religion neither among guests nor among employees,” Monien continued. 

  The owner of the hotel, Marcello Mangia, invited the Italian guests to leave following the incident, however, they remained until the end of their planned stay. 

  The two sisters have filed reports for defamation and harassment. 

lw