New York - A Catholic organisation has sued New York City, claiming it discriminates against Christian students by allowing Islamic and Jewish holiday symbols to be displayed in public schools while banning nativity scenes.

"All we're asking the city of New York to do is to treat Catholics the same way they do Jews and Muslims," said William Donohue, president of the Catholic League. "This is nothing but pure, unadulterated religious discrimination."

The lawsuit, filed on Monday in the Federal Court, claims that the education department's holiday policy is unconstitutional because it permits Hanukkah menorahs and the Islamic star and crescent as secular symbols but prohibits scenes of the birth of Jesus in a manger.
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