#  When the Swiss Voted to Ban New Minarets, This Man Built One 

 





January 06, 2010

 

 

Author: Deborah Ball and Anita Greil

Source: The Wall Street Journal

[http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126264916012115609.html?mod=WSJ\_hpp\_RIGHTTopCarousel](http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126264916012115609.html?mod=WSJ_hpp_RIGHTTopCarousel)

In November, Switzerland voted to ban the construction of new minarets, the towerlike structures that adorn mosques. A week or so later, in an apparent act of defiance, a new minaret unexpectedly sprang up here.

But the new minaret is not attached to a mosque; this small town near Geneva doesn't even have one. And it's not the work of a local Muslim outraged by Switzerland's controversial vote to ban the structures, which often are used to launch the call to prayer.

Instead, Bussigny's minaret is attached to the warehouse of a shoe store called Pomp It Up, which is part of a Swiss chain. It was erected by the chain's owner, Guillaume Morand, who fashioned it out of plastic and wood and attached it to a chimney. The new minaret, nearly 20 feet high and illuminated at night, is clearly visible from the main highway connecting Lausanne and Geneva.

"The referendum was a scandal," Mr. Morand said recently at his cavernous warehouse, near pallets piled high with shoe boxes as pop music played on an old stereo system. "I was ashamed to be Swiss. I don't have the power to do much, but I wanted to give a message of peace to Muslims."



 

 

 



 

 See also:- [ Advocacy/Government ](/news-stories/advocacygovernment)
- [ Minaret Referendum in Switzerland ](/news-stories/minaret-referendum-switzerland)
- [ Statistics ](/news-stories/statistics)
- [ Islam in Europe ](/news-stories/islam-europe)
- [ Religious Freedom ](/news-stories/religious-freedom)
- [ Islam ](/religions/islam)
- [ Civic ](/tags/civic)
- [ International ](/tags/international)
 
 

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