Italy appeals Euro court on school crosses

ROME, Nov. 6 (UPI) -- Italy's prime minister says a court ruling banning classroom crosses doesn't mean crucifixes already in place will have to come down.

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Friday the decision from the European Court of Human Rights was not a "coercive sentence" and did not prevent crosses from remaining on classroom walls.

The court ruled this week that children were allowed freedom of religion and the crucifix could intimidate non-Christian students.

The government is appealing the ruling, the Italian news agency ANSA reported. Berlusconi's cabinet framed the arguments Friday and put Foreign Minister Franco Frattini in charge of the process.