France: posters of the extreme right against Islam prohibited
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MARSEILLE (France) - French Justice on Friday ordered the removal of election posters against Islam of the extreme right National Front, deemed "anti-Muslim" by associations and which have led to a protest from the Algerian government.
- These posters representing a fully veiled woman beside a map of France covered with the Algerian flag on which stand minarets shaped missiles, with as title "No to Islam".
The Tribunal of Marseille (South East) said that "these provocative posters constitute a manifestly unlawful trouble" and "likely to cause a feeling of rejection and animosity against a group of people whose religious practices, women and nationality are targeted.
In its order of which AFP has obtained a copy, the court condemns the FN and its president Jean-Marie Le Pen "to proceed to its withdrawal of all media on which it was placed, of whatever nature, within 24 hours (...) then under a penalty of 500 euros per day of delay.
The sign had been posted including Provence-Alpes-Cote d'Azur (south-east) region where Le Pen campaigned as head of the list for the regional elections of 14 and 21 March.
The League against Racism and Antisemitism (LICRA), the Movement against Racism and for Friendship between Peoples (MRAP) and SOS Racism had taken legal action against the billboard campaign that they deem "anti-Muslim".
On Monday, the Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mourad Medelci, had asked "the French government to take appropriate action when the symbols of foreign countries are brought down on knees".
The National Front on Friday expressed his "indignation" over the decision of the court, which he described as "serious violation of freedom of opinion and freedom of expression" and against which he announced that he will appeal.
"The patriots are gagged by order from abroad," said the FN in a statement, asking voters "to show the polls Sunday in their revolt against such methods worthy of the former Soviet Union.
The poster in question was already the subject of a complaint from Geneva, for infringement of intellectual property, by the Swiss designer of the poster for the "yes" to the recent anti-minaret Referendum because he feels plagiarized. - Ennaharonline/ M. O.
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