A German mayor has come under fire after posting a ‘joke’ picture of a cucumber that looks like a burka on Facebook.
The picture of the burka-like cucumber was shared on social media by Mayor Simone Stein-Luecke, who oversees the Bad Godesberg municipal district in the former West German capital of Bonn.
Above the picture the text ‘Gurka’ was added, a play on the word ‘gurke’, the German word for cucumber.
She later defended the post, describing it as amusing, and said he is opposed to the full-faced veil.
The joke was posted by the conservative Christian-Democratic Union politician as news broke that a controversial Saudi school, linked with extremism by a German documentary, was set to close.
The Saudi Kingdom announced the King Fahd Academy would close as it no longer saw the need for a school in a country with ‘one of the best education systems in the world’.
German TV programme Panorama had suggested that jihadist ideology was being spread at the school.
Mayor Stein-Luecke said she respects all religions and had not intended to cause any offense.
She said: ‘I respect every religion.
‘But I have always stressed that I am opposed to a full-face veil.
‘It was a humorous post, no more, no less.
‘Perhaps the timing of the post yesterday was unfortunate. But I still find it amusing.’
She also said she was saddened to see the academy closed, stating: ‘Despite all frictions in the past, it is an integral part of our social and cultural life.
‘Since I have been in office, I have guided a critical and constructive dialogue with the academy.’
Local newspaper Express has said there have been a number of problems involving Muslim citizens in the Bad Godesberg district, including the murder of a 17-year-old man, Niklas P, who was beaten to death by a gang of young men, believed to have been migrants.