caricature of the Prophet Muhammad, with four people reported killed
and dozens injured at a protest Friday in the West African country of
Niger, as well as violent clashes between demonstrators and police in
Pakistan, Jordan and Algeria. Associated Pressreports:
Supporters say the cartoon on the cover of Charlie Hebdo is a defiant
expression of free speech following a terrorist attack on the
publication's Paris offices that killed 12 people on Jan. 7, but many
Muslims viewed it as another attack on their religion.
The new issue has a drawing of Muhammad, with a tear rolling down his
cheek and a placard that reads "Je Suis Charlie" -- a saying that has
swept France and the world since the killings. The depiction of the
prophet is deemed insulting to many followers of Islam.
A French cultural center was set ablaze by protesters in the town of
Zinder in southern Niger, and one security officer and three
demonstrators were killed in the melee, said Interior Minister
Hassoumi Massaoudou. Another 20 security officers and 23 civilians
were injured, he said.
The government of Niger, a former French colony, has banned the sale
of Charlie Hebdo.
Many of the protests across the Muslim world began after midday
prayers Friday, Islam's holy day.
No comments:
Post a Comment