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French town told park's Virgin Mary statue must go

A court has given the town of Publier, in eastern France, three months to comply with a national ban on religious symbols in public spaces.

La rédaction de Mediapart

4 December 2016 à 23h58

This article is freely available.

A French town has been told it must take down its statue of the Virgin Mary to comply with a national ban on religious symbols in public spaces, the town's mayor said on Saturday, reports the BBC.

A court has given the town of Publier, in eastern France, three months to remove the work.

If it fails to do so, it will be fined €100 (£80; $105) a day.

Mayor Gaston Lacroix said he will try to relocate the marble statue on private land.

The image of the mother of Jesus has been standing on the shores of Lake Geneva since 2011.

It has been the subject of local controversy for some years after it was paid for with municipal funds.

Read more of this report from the BBC.

La rédaction de Mediapart

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