PROSECUTORS in Russia want to ban the satirical cartoon South Park, calling it "extremist" after viewers complained.
The Russian Union of Christians of Evangelical Faith said yesterday it had asked prosecutors to ban the show, adding that 20 experts had studied its effect on young viewers.
South Park, about a group of nine-year-olds, courted controversy from
its 1997 debut, parodying celebrities, politicians, religion, gay marriage and Saddam Hussein.
Valentina Titova, of Basmanny prosecutors' office, said investigators filed a motion after deciding an episode broadcast on the Moscow television station 2x2 "bore signs of extremist activity."
South Park is dubbed into Russian and broadcast on local networks, including 2x2.
Konstantin Bendas, leader of the Christian group, said: "Young children should not be able to turn on the TV after school and watch this. It insults the feelings of religious believers and incites religious and national hatred."
The broadcast in question was an episode called Mr Hankey's Christmas Classics, featuring the cast singing carols.
Russia passed a law in 2006 widening the definition of extremism to include "inciting religious and national hatred".
The full article contains 189 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
