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French Politicians Criticize Restaurant Chain For Serving Halal Meat

By Howard M. Friedman

Reuters today reports that in France, various politicians are criticizing Quick, a fast-food chain, for deciding to serve only halal meat in eight of its restaurants that have a large Muslim clientele. Marine Le Pen, vice president of the far-right National Front, argued that the restaurant's customers "are forced because of halal meat to pay a tax to Islamic organizations" that certify the food. She also criticized President Nicolas Sarkozy for supporting a "forced Islamization of France" because almost all of Quick's stock is owned by an arm of the state-owned savings bank, the Caisse des Depots et Consignations.

Other politicians joined in. Rene Vandierendonck, the Socialist mayor in the town of Roubaix, threatened to use, and Lionnel Luca, a conservative member of parliament called for a boycott to restore "freedom of choice." Agriculture Minister Bruno Le Maire added his criticism, saying: "When they remove all the pork from a restaurant open to the public, I think they fall into communalism, which is against the principles and the spirit of the French republic." However a marketing firm executive says Quick is merely responding to competition from smaller Halal restaurants.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on February 18, 2010 (boomark / email).