PEEPS TO THE RESCUE!

ST. PAUL - Marshmallow Peeps have been multiplying outside City Hall as a symbol of protest over last week's decision to evict the Easter Bunny.

A handful of employees have placed the spongy chick- and rabbit-shaped candies around a City Hall statue of American Indians, along with two signs that temporarily rename the "Vision of Peace" statue as the "Vision of Peeps."

"From a building standpoint, no comment!" said a laughing Jolly Mangine, Ramsey County's director of property management. "We're just going to let it ride."
Just Born, the company that manufactures Peeps, issued a statement after being informed of the display.

"It is a shame that the Easter Bunny hopping through City Hall has caused such a disturbance. We are sure that the regal 'Vision of Peace' statue does not mind sharing a little glory and spring fever with us - the Peeps," the company said.

Last week, a small Easter display was removed from the building's lobby out of concern that the items would offend non-Christians. The display - a cloth bunny, pastel-colored eggs and a sign with the words "Happy Easter" - were put up by a City Council secretary. They weren't purchased with city money.

Tyrone Terrill, the city's human rights director, asked that the decorations be removed. He has since said his only problem with the display involved the "Happy Easter" sign.

It's not the first time a holiday symbol has been removed from City Hall. In 2001, red poinsettias were briefly banned from a holiday display because they were associated with Christmas.

AP