More bad news for European Muslims

Hard on the heels of news of the Dutch proposal to ban burqas -- see Walt's post earlier today -- comes word that citizens of Paris will no longer be treated to the sight of 1000s of Muslim bums pointed skywards on Fridays.

This picture was taken today -- Friday -- by Patrick Kovarik of Agence France Press. While these Parisian followers of the Prophet were beseeching him to smite the Dutch (or hit Gadhafi with a lightning bolt or whatever), the French government announced that effective immediately it would enforce its ban on praying in the streets.

Interior Minister Claude Gueant directed Muslims in Paris to temporary spaces made available pending the building of a huge new prayer space and warned that force would be used if necessary as police end their tolerance of street prayers.

France has the largest Muslim minority (in percentage terms) of any European country. Marine Le Pen, France's (much better) answer to Michele Bachmann, has described the growing phenomenon of praying on the streets and sidewalks as an "invasion".

In France, you see, a strict separation of church and state has been in force for a century, and public displays of religious activity are frowned upon. Sort of like the USA, you might say. Might...