Muslim politician apologizes for shooting at Jesus image

A Zurich city councilor posted a photo of herself in which she uses the reproduction of a saint’s image as a target

Sanija Ameti, a Muslim member of the Swiss Green Liberal Party (GLP), has apologized for targeting a Christian image.

The politician caused outrage over the weekend when she posted a photo of herself with a sports pistol in her hand and another of a picture of the Virgin Mary and the baby Jesus, whose faces were riddled with shotgun pellets, on Instagram.

According to local media, she had used a reproduced painting by the medieval Italian artist Tommaso del Mazza, taken from an illustrated catalogue.

Following an online backlash, Ameti took down the post and apologized, explaining that she chose a page from the catalog because it was the right size and “visible enough” to serve as a target.

“I didn't pay attention to the content of the pictures,” she claimed. “That was not right. I am sorry from the bottom of my heart if I offended anyone.”

Ameti admitted to the newspaper “Blick” that her actions had been “absolutely stupid”, but added that she had “not thought anything of it” at the time.

Several conservative politicians have condemned Ameti and called on her to resign from her posts. Nicolas Rimoldi, founder of the Mass-Voll party, accused Ameti of “inciting hatred against Christians” and threatened to take legal action.

Ameti's family came to Switzerland in the 1990s as refugees from war-torn Bosnia and Herzegovina. Ameti is a trained lawyer and city councilor in the canton of Zurich. She is also co-president of Operation Libero, a movement whose goal is to “fight populism” and promote “an open and progressive” society, as its mission statement states.

(RT.com)