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Dubai — The image and name of American presidential hopeful Donald Trump has been removed from parts of a Dubai golf course and housing development amid the uproar over his comments about banning Muslims from the United States. A billboard showing Trump golfing was gone yesterday from the Damac Properties’ Akoya development. Also, pieces of letters that appeared to spell out Trump’s name had been pulled down from a stone wall, the letters left lying on the sandy ground. Damac Properties declined to comment. It earlier said it “would not comment further on Mr Trump’s personal or political agenda, nor comment on the internal American political debate scene.”
The move comes as Dubai-based Landmark Group pulled all Trump home decor products at its 180 Lifestyle stores. Meanwhile, a majority of Americans oppose Trump’s controversial plan to ban Muslims from entering the United States, but one in four supports it, according to the first major national poll since the furor erupted.
The frontrunner for the Republican nomination for the White House triggered an outcry on Monday with the proposal, which was lambasted at home and abroad.
Fifty-seven percent of adults in the US are against the idea, while 25 percent are for it, according to the new survey by NBC News and the Wall Street Journal on Thursday. Eighteen percent did not know or had no opinion.
Among Republicans the views are mixed: 42 percent of Republican respondents back Trump’s Muslim ban, while 36 percent oppose it. Three-quarters of Democrats stand opposed.
The poll also found that 41 percent of Americans believe Trump’s bombastic campaign statements in general are frequently insulting. Twenty-two percent say Trump is telling it like it is and has the correct approach.
The survey also showed that Americans have a favourable opinion of Muslims, 59 percent positive compared to 29 percent negative upholding a relatively stable position on the question since 2002. – AFP
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