German city to recognize Islamic holidays
15 August 2012
17 Comments
German city to recognize Islamic holidays
Authorities in Hamburg have become the first in Germany to officially recognize Islamic holidays so Muslim employees and students can celebrate them at home.
The decision forms part of an agreement between the north German city and local Muslim groups. Similar agreements exist with Christian and Jewish communities in the city.
Hamburg’s mayor, Olaf Scholz, said Tuesday that he hopes the deal will serve as an example for other German cities.
Authorities estimate some 150,000 Muslims live the city of almost 2 million people.
The growing public presence of Islamic culture in Germany has sparked anger among conservatives and far-right groups.
Police in Berlin are on alert for possible violence this weekend after a small far-right party said it plans to stage protests outside mosques in the German capital.
Associated Press, 14 August 2012
See also Spiegel Online, 15 August 2012
If other faith groups have similar pacts its only fair muslims it also.
A bit more on it:
http://www.thelocal.de/national/20120815-44369.html
What is off is this:
“These community groups, representing the Hamburg’s 120,000 Muslims, have agreed to recognize the “basic values of constitutional order,” to reject “violence and discrimination based on origin, sexual orientation, and faith” and “religious and political viewpoints,” and to recognize “equality between genders.”
Shouldn’t they be doing all that already if that is German law even though some of it is against islamic law.
15 August 2012 at 1:04 pm