French locals demand Nativity scene be REMOVED from town hall after mayor's display to celebrate Christmas

This is despite an early-20th century law forbidding public buildings in France from displaying religious iconography.

It is the 11th year Mr Ménard has set up a nativity scene in the town in the south of France, for which he has been convicted eight times.

Article 28 of the law from 1905 reads: "It is prohibited, in the future, to erect or affix any religious sign or emblem on public monuments or in any public place, with the exception of buildings used for worship, burial grounds in cemeteries, funerary monuments, and museums or exhibitions."

The display was met with protests, with one sign warning of the potential consequences of overriding the separation between church and state, saying: "To trample on secularism is to give in to the Islamists."

Another sign read: "The nativity scene is great! But not here."

Mr Ménard has dismissed his critics as "grumpy people", who were playing politics ahead of local elections next year.

The mayor told local media: "The nativity scene...is where we come together, because it’s our roots and those of all the people of Béziers."

He also confirmed plans to hold a celebration for Hanukkah on December 15, a decision which was also met with criticism.

Sophie Mazas, a lawyer and activist with the League of Human Rights, added: "On the church steps, at your house, at my house, the nativity scene poses no problem.

"But in the name of the principle of secularism and the 1905 law on the separation of church and state, whose 120th anniversary we are celebrating this year, a nativity scene has no place in the courtyard of a town hall."

Mr Ménard is one of around 10 mayors who set up nativity scenes in their town halls across France, despite annual court orders.

Louis Aliot, from Marine Le Pen's National Rally (RN), also sets up nativity scenes in his town hall every year in Beaucaire in Gard.

Last year, Beaucaire was fined €120,000 (£105,000) for refusing to remove its nativity scene.

Mr Aliot, the former Vice President of RN, said: "Every year, we put a guest book available. It contains between 20,000 and 25,000 signatures. People love it. The nativity scene is a moment that brings everyone together. Here we don’t proselytise, we simply remind everyone of a message of love."

A poll conducted by La Parisien in 2014 found 86 per cent of 12,000 readers were in favour of keeping nativity scenes in public places.

Ms Le Pen once described it as "stupid and blinkered secularism" with The Republicans President and former Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau adding: "Next we’ll be banning epiphany cakes at the Élysée Palace."

Sociologist Jean Baubérot, suggested the upholding of France’s religious "neutrality" had become an increasingly aggressive and repressive secularism impacting Islam.

Speaking in 2014, he said: "The anti-Islamic climate is causing a crackdown on other religions" but admitted "the law is the law, and "cribs are a religious symbol that has no place in a public space."