French Christians Protest 'Blasphemous' Play Where Fake Excrement Is Hurled at Image of Christ

(AP) The mayor of Paris says the city is filing legal complaints against fundamentalist Christians protesting a play at the municipal theater they claim is blasphemous.

Riot police have been called in to chase off demonstrators bearing crosses loudly protesting in front of, and sometimes inside, the Theatre de la Ville since the Oct. 20 opening of "Sur le Concept du Visage du fils de Dieu" ("On the Concept of the Son of God's Face").

"Sur le Concept du Visage du fils de Dieu" ("On the Concept of the Son of God's Face"), by Italian Romeo Castellucci is a provocative story centering on a young man caring for his aged and incontinent father. A portrait of the face of Christ looms large onstage throughout and projectiles are ultimately thrown at it.

This video shows the protests -- and the actors hurling items at the image of Christ:

Each night, police have had to defend the theater from a group of Christian protesters - organized by the group Renouveau France - who turn up with crucifixes and banners denouncing "Christianophobia," determined to disrupt the show.

Mayor Bertrand Delanoe said Friday that Paris can't tolerate "such expressions of fundamentalism and intolerance."

His statement said the city is filing complaints when demonstrators try to interrupt performances of the play.

Delanoe is Paris's first Socialist Party mayor, and openly gay.