In a surprising move, Cardiff Council has refused to give in to demands from humanists to remove its logo from adverts across the city encouraging people to go to church this Easter.
The council's logo appears on the bottom of banners that say "Trust in Jesus, he is alive, come to church".
The banners have been hanging from lampposts in the run-up to Easter and are paid-for advertisements by an external party, not the council.
The Wales Humanists group says it has received multiple complaints about the adverts, Wales Online reports.
The humanists claim that the banners go against the council's "responsibility to remain impartial" and not give the impression that it favours a particular belief or religion over another.
Wales Humanists wants the council to "address the issue with urgency" and review its policy for lamppost advertising.
Cardiff Council has dismissed the fuss and allowed the banners to stay in place. A spokesman for Cardiff Council said that registered charities and businesses were allowed to buy banner space on council-owned lampposts and that no action was needed because the adverts are "compliant" with council policy.
"The booking of this advertising space is managed by Bay Media, an external national provider of advertising space, in compliance with the council’s advertising policy," the spokesman said, according to Wales Online.
"The Cardiff council logo is placed at the bottom of all banner advertising co-ordinated by Bay Media in the city to demonstrate that the advert has permission to be on council property.
"It does not indicate any formal partnership or endorsement of the specific content of the advertisements."
According to social media, the banners were booked by a local Presbyterian pastor and crowdfunded.
The adverts have been met with pleasant surprise by local Christians.
The Diocese of Llandaff posted on social media, "It's great to see these banners popping up in Roath. Huge thanks to everyone who funded them, and to Cardiff Council for allowing them to be put up. What an amazing way to share our Good News!"
One dad and governor of a Catholic primary school tweeted, "Couldn’t believe my eyes driving through Cardiff today and seeing official banners from Cardiff Council saying 'Trust in Jesus - He is alive - Come to church'. We are so back."
Adverts have been something of a battleground in previous years, with councils typically seeking to remove those displaying Christian messages.
In 2021, Blackpool Borough Council and Blackpool Transport Services were fined £109,000 after removing adverts for a rally by American evangelist Franklin Graham. The adverts, which carried the slogan "Lancashire Festival of Hope with Franklin Graham - Time for Hope", were removed after complaints from the LGBT community. Imposing the fine, a Manchester County Court judge ruled that the council had disregarded "the right to freedom of expression".
