Crosses Ordered Removed from District Court in Saarbrücken
Stefan Geib, president of the district court in Saarbrücken, announced the removal of crosses from meeting rooms. They are to be replaced by the state seal.
Calling the cross a "symbol of authority", but not the one from which the court gets its authority, he said that it has no place in the courthouse. This decision has been criticized by a representative of the Protestant Church as well as the Catholic diocese, as symbolizing the public erasure of Germany's Christian heritage and cultural identity. The CDU parliamentary group has similarly criticized the decision. The chairman acknowledged that the court is expected to apply the German legal system in its judgments, but also noted that in a time in which tolerance and respect toward other religions is expected, the same respect should be given to symbols of the Christian faith. Sources: Sol.de and SR.de