A Polish group calling itself "Europe for the Future" has refashioned a Swiss poster against minarets to demand a halt in the construction of a new mosque in the capital of mainly Catholic Poland.
In the posters, seen in several parts of Warsaw Wednesday, the Swiss flag is replaced with a Polish one and wording that translates into "stop the mosque of the radicals".
Switzerland voted in a referendum in November to ban the construction of new minarets, a move that drew criticisms worldwide including charges of Islamophobia.
The Polish poster called for a demonstration on Saturday at the site of the mosque and cultural centre under construction near the centre of Warsaw, and described as "radical" the Muslim League of Poland building it.
"The mosque and the centre of Muslim culture are financed by Saudi Arabia, a country which violates human rights and where the mere possession of a Bible constitutes a crime," the association said.
In a petition address to the mayor of Warsaw, the group called for "an immediate halt to the work".
Muslim League president Samir Ismail said the protests were inspired by individuals who were "sowing hate".
"It will not be a classic mosque," he said in the Gazeta Wyborcza daily Wednesday. "It will be a cultural centre open to Muslims and non-Muslims. Arabic courses will be organised there and courses in Polish for children of diplomats."
Ninety percent of Poles say they are Catholic while the country's Muslim population numbers between 15,000 and 30,000 people, about 10,000 of whom are in the capital.
They include immigrants from Arab countries, Chechens and Tatars who have been based in Poland since the 17th century.
Muslims in Warsaw only have access to one small mosque that can hold around 100 people and is in a villa in a suburban residential area.
The new mosque is expected to be able to accommodate about 10,000 worshippers. At 12 metres (40 feet) high, it will be topped by a minaret of 18 metres.
Re: Polish group uses Swiss poster to protest new mosque
format_quote Originally Posted by marwen
I don't understand what problem do they have with minarets ? or they just trying to provoke muslims ?
It's an easy ticket for bigots to rise to political power and win lot of seats. Inshallah one day all this going to backfire or Muslims going to get so fed up that these losers won't have a place to hide...
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