Sarkozy to Muslims: Be Discreet

Surprise vote shows anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim sentiment on the rise

(NEWSER) - The right-wing Swiss People’s Party (SVP) got a surprising shot in the arm with Sunday’s vote to ban minarets in the country. Though it’s been growing rapidly since its 1980s inception, the SVP has had little success in referenda until now, with critics accusing it of racism for its anti-immigrant campaigning, Reuters reports—including the infamous posters showing a white sheep kicking a black one off the Swiss flag. Muslim leaders condemned the vote, and Swiss companies braced for a backlash, the Wall Street Journal adds. More»

(NEWSER) - A debate on freedom of religion featuring ultra-nationalist zealots is playing out in the most unlikely of places: a sleepy hamlet in Switzerland. A group is trying to block the construction of a 30-foot tall minaret on a mosque in Langenthal (pop. 14,000) because it's a symbol of Islam's "desire for power," the Independent reports. More»

Libya boss urges Muslims to join holy war against 'infidel nation'

(NEWSER) - Pious Muslims should avoid cuckoo clocks and Swiss chocolates, and wage a holy war against the "infidel nation" of Switzerland, according to Moammar Gadhafi. "Any Muslim in any part of the world who works with Switzerland is an apostate—is against Muhammad, God and the Koran," the Libyan leader said yesterday as he ramped up his vendetta against the country. More»

Non-Muslim businessman calls country's support 'scandalous'

(NEWSER) - The recent passage of a ban on minarets so irked a Swiss businessman that he’s added one to his company headquarters. Shoe-store-chain owner (and non-Muslim) Guillaume Morand calls “shameful” the 57% of voters who approved the right-wing effort to keep the Muslim towers from the country’s skyline. “It was scandalous that the Swiss voted for the ban,” Morand, who won’t rule out further protest of some kind, tells AFP . “Now we have the support of all the far-right parties across Europe.” More»

Nationalist measure reflects rising anti-Muslim sentiment

(AP) - Swiss voters approved a move to ban the construction of minarets in a vote today on a right-wing initiative that labeled the mosque towers as symbols of militant Islam, early projections showed. The Swiss looked to have swung from only 37% supporting the proposal a week ago to 59% in actual voting. The move by the nationalist People's Party, known for controversial anti-immigrant campaigns, is part of a broader European backlash against a growing Muslim population. More»