Petting zoo owner not prosecuted for ejecting Muslim family

Huub van Leijsen, owner of petting zoo Pukkemuk in Dongen, will not be prosecuted for discrimination for asking a Muslim family to leave his establishment in December. The Public Prosecutor in Breda dismissed the case, Omroep Brabant reports

On December 28th Van Leijsen asked a group of about twenty Muslims to leave the petting zoo after he found their praying on the playground was making the other kids anxious. During the conversation, tempers ran high and eventually the police had to be called in. The group left the petting zoo and their entrance fee as refunded.

The Public Prosecutor decided that nothing discriminatory happened here. The group was not refused from the petting zoo. The praying, argument and police arrival led to behavior that is not desirable on a playground, according to the prosecutor. "There is no question of exclusion on the grounds of their religion, discrimination."

Van Leijsen is relieved by the decision. "We always had the utmost confidence in this outcome", he said to the broadcaster. "Finally we can put an end to a period that was very hectic and emotionally difficult for me, my wife and our employees."