[Below are excerpts]
For the London Telegraph, Catherine Elsworth reports from New York
December 16, 2006
A school choir was told to stop singing carols at a show featuring a Jewish ice skater because officials feared she would be offended.
The Rubidoux High School Madrigals in Riverside, California, broke off in the middle of God Rest Ye Merry Gentleman at a rink where Sasha Cohen, a US Olympic medal winner, was performing in front of fans.
Staci Della-Rocco, the director of the choir, said she complied with the request by a city council employee and police officer to silence the children because "I didn't want to have a big old huge scene in front of my kids".
Cohen, 22, however, was "stunned" to learn the choir had been ordered to stop singing on her account, her mother said.
Ron Loveridge, the mayor of Riverside, has apologised to the choir. He called the incident "unfortunate".
[Yes, it's unfortunate that the suppression of religious freedom is so rampant!]
