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Businessman Creates Protest To Swiss Ban on Minarets

By Howard M. Friedman

Today's Wall Street Journal reports on the attention being given to a protest mounted by a Swiss businessman who strongly disagrees with the result of November's Swiss referendum banning any new construction of minarets. (See prior posting.) In Bussigny, Switzerland, businessman Guillaume Morand quickly constructed an illuminated 20-foot high plastic and wood minaret, attached to the chimney of his shoe store warehouse. Morand said: "The referendum was a scandal. I was ashamed to be Swiss. I don't have the power to do much, but I wanted to give a message of peace to Muslims." The Justice Ministry does not plan to take action against Morand. It says it regards the minaret as a temporary structure. Neither does the town's acting mayor who says this is not really a minaret since it has no connection to a mosque.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on January 05, 2010 (boomark / email).