In Switzerland, fury over minaret ban poster

Zurich, the largest Swiss city, has permitted the use of a controversial poster which promotes a ban on the construction of minarets on mosques in Switzerland as a national referendum on the issue draws near.

The far-right Swiss People's Party (SVP) is using the posters which show a veiled woman in front of a Swiss flag pierced by several minarets.

The anti-immigration party's campaign has prompted strong opposition in the central European state, with Basel and Lausanne describing the posters as racist and banning them in publicly-owned spaces, Euronews reported.

The SVP, condemned by rights activists for inciting hatred toward Islam, argues that the mosque towers symbolize ideological opposition to the country's constitution.

However, Zurich has chosen not to prohibit the poster. The mayor of the city, Corine Mauch, told CNN that although the city officials disapprove of the poster, the decision was taken on the basis of political freedom of speech in the run-up to the vote.

"We consulted the Federal Commission against racism and spoke to Muslim communities in the city, but decided banning the posters from public spaces would draw more attention to the issue."

SVP's controversial bid will be decided in a national referendum on November 29.

According to the latest opinion polls, most Swiss voters are against any ban on minaret construction, with the federal government and all the other major political parties recommending a 'no' vote.

Local Christian, Jewish and Muslim leaders have also joined forces to reject a ban, AFP reported.