Da Vinci Code ban necessary to 'maintain peace'

The Tamil Nadu Government in India told the Madras High Court on Thursday that it had powers under the Cinematography Act, to stop the screening of the Da Vinci Code, even though it had previously been approved. "A ban was necessary to maintain even tempo of life and it is a bonafide exercise in the interest of maintaining peace", the government claimed.

The film had previously been approved for release by the Central Board of Film Censor, but its screening had upset a number of Christians and Muslims, who protested vehemently and staged demonstrations against it. The state government suspended the screening of the film for two months from June 1.

"The state had the powers to decide on exhibiting a film during exigencies post certification", Government Pleader P Wilson told the court.

There have been protesters at several cinemas across the United States on opening weekend protesting the themes of the film, citing it as blasphemy and claiming that it shames both the Catholic Church, and Jesus Christ himself. More than 200 protesters also turned out in Athens, Greece to protest the film's release shortly before opening day. In Manila the movie was banned from all cinemas and then set by the local MTRCB as an R18 movie for the Philippines. Protests also occurred at the filming sites, but only a monk and a nun stood in a quiet protest at the Cannes premiere