In what probably seemed like a good idea at the time, Europe’s largest brothel, the Pascha in Cologne - which claims to be the world’s only brothel with a money-back guarantee - attached the flags of all 32 nations competing in the World Cup to its façade in a bid to demonstrate international flair and attract custom during the tournament this summer.

The poster, which covered the side of seven-story, 126-apartment building showed a friendly-looking blonde woman lifting up her bra above the slogan “A Time to Make Girlfriends”, in a play on the World Cup’s official slogan “A Time to Make Friends.” Right beneath her pink panties were posters of the flags, including those of strictly Islamic Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Oops.

“On Friday evening we were threatened by 11 masked men who demand that we take down the Saudi Arabian flag,” [Pascha’s manager Armin] Lobscheid told the Kölner Express, a local newspaper. Not wanting any trouble, the brothel obliged and removed it and the Iranian one. But that still left the flags printed on the poster.

“On Saturday night there were 20 masked men armed with knives and sticks. They threatened to get violent and even bomb the place unless we black out the Iranian and Saudia Arabian flags on the poster as well,” said Lobscheid.

The men had left before the police arrived. But to spare his establishment any more trouble, Lobscheid ordered a crane to black out the two flags as well. Lobscheid is now considering filing a complaint but also wants to hold talks with the local Muslim community.

MediaWatchWatch, via whom I found this story, note that the Tunisian flag, which bears the crescent symbol of Islam, remains on the advert.

Trackback this Post | Feed on comments to this Post