Christoph D'Haese, the mayor of Aalst, Belgium, where an antisemitic float was paraded during a carnival, claimed that it was a humorous display that should not be considered too important - and certainly not anti-Semitic, as he put it.
"Satire must remain uncensored, and an attempt to prevent any kind of humor will bring an end to the carnival, which for us is an important part of cultural heritage."