An “Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves” themed playground being built in Berlin’s Neukölln district has unleashed a stir of controversy in recent days in Germany.
A wooden mosque, or palace, adorned with a half-crescent sits in the sand. Small blue minarets rise to the side. In the sand, there are wooden palm trees and camels.
It brings to mind visions of an imagined Orient made famous in children’s books and films such as “Aladdin.”
For some, it’s just a playground where children can play in a fantasy world. For others, it’s sign of encroaching Islamization in Germany.
“Playground with a mosque – Islamization is advancing!” wrote Carsten Ubbelohde, a politician in Berlin with the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany (AfD).