Rancho Cucamonga, USA - Complaints have led to the removal of an atheist group's "Imagine No Religion" billboard in this San Bernardino County city.
The General Outdoor sign company took down the Freedom From Religion Foundation billboard after the city said it received about 90 complaints and asked whether there was a way to remove it.
The Madison, Wis.-based foundation, which advocates separation of church and state, has billboards in eight states that include such messages as "Reasons Greetings" and "Beware of Dogma."
The foundation's co-president, Annie Laurie Gaylor, said the billboard is meant to encourage a debate about religion by evoking lyrics from a John Lennon song.
"The city has no business suggesting our billboard be censored," Gaylor said. "They're not allowed to interfere over religious controversy."
The city's actions are "dangerously close" to censorship and a violation of the First Amendment, said Peter Scheer, executive director of the California First Amendment Coalition.
"A city government has no business trying to dictate or influence the content of an advertising image, particularly one that's political and controversial as this is simply because some people don't like it and complained about it," Scheer said.
The city's redevelopment director, Linda Daniels, said the city did not demand General Outdoor take down the sign, "but they respected the concerns of residents."