Paris Metro censors ad for concert by singing priests raising funds for Middle East Christians
RATP, the operator of the Paris Metro, and its advertising agency, Metrobus, has banned the use of the phrase 'Christians of the East' in an advertisement for a musical concert which will take place this coming June. The proceeds of the concert, by the popular French singing priests, Les PrĂȘtres, are to go to help Christians in the Middle East who are being persecuted ISIS and other jihadist groups in places like Iraq and Syria.
On Wednesday, the RATP is being taken to court by CHREDO, a Christian charity which supports persecuted Christians in the Middle East.
RATP said in a statement that they had censored the ad because of its duty as a public service provider to remain neutral, "in the context of an armed conflict abroad." But the main organiser of the concert, Bishop Jean-Michel Di Falco Leandri, said that the RATP had previously told him that the phrase, "Christians of the East," had to be removed from the ad because of its "religious nature."
Bishop Di Falco Leandri said: "One must not confuse secularity, which we respect, with secular extremism which becomes a grotesque and ridiculous witch-hunt."
In a message, Scott Schittl from CitizenGO said: "The fact that the sponsoring organisation is simply trying to alleviate the suffering of the "Christians of the East" should, in fact, make this humanitarian issue something which the RATP is proud to promote. "How sad it would it be if the slogan, 'Je suis Charlie' were to apply only to the secular elite in French society. We call on the RATP to reverse its decision before it is forced to change by the courts, or by pressure from the French Parliament.
For more information and to sign a petition, see: http://citizengo.org/en/21136-support-christians-middle-east-against-censorship-europe