Muslim party at Christmas ban
library
By Fiona Govan
(Filed:
14/12/2003)
A library that banned the display of posters promoting Christmas services for fear of offending other religions hosted a party to celebrate a Muslim festival only days earlier.
Church officials in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, were told by the town's public library last week that their posters could not be displayed because they pertained to a "religious preference group".
It emerged yesterday, however, that a party to celebrate Eid, the breaking of the fast of Ramadan, had been held there less than a week previously.
The party was organised by Rehana Nazir, the multicultural services librarian at Buckinghamshire county council, and was advertised with leaflets distributed at the library. About 20 children, and several adults, attended.
Michael Stillwell, 66, from High Wycombe, who was given a leaflet by library staff said: "It seems like pure hypocrisy to hold a festival from one religion and to then ban a simple poster."
The ban by the Conservative-controlled county council on the display of Christmas posters in its libraries was disclosed last week when Bridget Adams, 57, a school teacher and a member of the choir at All Saints church, High Wycombe, asked to display a poster stating the dates and times of its Christmas services. She was refused permission.
"I was told the council had a policy of allowing no religious material from any faith," she said.
Margaret Dewar, the councillor who is responsible for libraries, said: "I am appalled at the attitude of these so-called Christians making such a fuss about this policy. The way they have reacted to the children's party is just shocking.
"It is quite a different thing having a party organised by a library to promote cultural understanding and accepting notices for religious services.
"The policy is that we do not display posters on our noticeboard. If we accepted one poster, we would have to them from everyone. We have to draw the line somewhere."
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