Montreal City Hall’s removal of the headscarf welcome sign sends the wrong message: Muslim group

With Canadian Press

30 Oct 2024 | 10:52

MONTREAL — A national Muslim advocacy group says Montreal is sending the wrong message by removing a welcome sign at City Hall featuring a woman in a headscarf.

Stephen Brown, executive director of the National Council of Canadian Muslims, said his organization was surprised and disappointed by the city’s decision.

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said in a television program that the work depicting a woman wearing a headscarf would be removed in the name of secularism, and that this disturbed some people.

The charcoal sketch-style photo shows a woman standing between two men (one a young man wearing a baseball cap, the other an older man with crossed hands) chanting “Welcome to Montreal City Hall!” He shows it with his words. French above them.