A controversial banner. This was unfurled by the Green city council on the gable end of Poitiers city hall on Tuesday, March 8, on the occasion of International Women’s Rights Day, as La Nouvelle RĂ©publique reports. Among other things, the banner depicts a veiled woman wearing an Islamic hijab in blue. Immediately, the two municipal opposition groups reacted, vigorously denouncing an attack on secularism and universalism.
[đŽ #VilleCitoyenne] Pour la JournĂ©e Internationale des droits des femmes, dĂ©couvrez les rendez-vous Ă ne pas manquer !…
Gepostet von Ville De Poitiers am Dienstag, 1. MĂ€rz 2022
The campaign group “Our priority is you!” denounced in a press release “the attack on the fundamental principles of our secular democracy by the municipal majority”. And further: “The display of a woman demonstratively wearing a religious sign of whatever kind on a public building such as the town hall is unacceptable and contradicts the universal values that must be worn, especially on the occasion of this day, March 8.” The other group, “Poitiers, l’avenir s’Ă©crit Ă taille humaine”, also declared via Alain Claeys that “this does not correspond to the image I have of women’s freedom”. And he affirmed: “I do not have a narrow view of secularism. But on the day when one defends women’s rights, this symbol is particularly ill-suited.” The majority of the city administration simply refused to respond.