French magazine publishes Mohammed pics

20 Sep 2012, 6:10 am   -   Source: AFP, SBS
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Policemen stand in front of the Paris building which houses the headquarters of French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, on September 19. (AFP)

Policemen stand in front of the Paris building which houses the headquarters of French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, on September 19. (AFP)

France has stepped up security at embassies in countries where there could be a hostile reaction to a magazine's publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Wednesday.

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France will close its embassies and schools in about 20 countries on Friday because of fears of a hostile reaction to a magazine's publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, the foreign ministry says.

Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius earlier announced that he had ordered special security measures "in all the countries where this could pose a problem".

Demonstrations in the Islamic world often follow Friday prayers.

Fabius admitted that he was "concerned" by the potential for a backlash to satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo's printing of a series of cartoons featuring Prophet Mohammed against a background of violent protests in the Muslim world over an anti-Islam film.

The crudely-made US film is the main target of Charlie Hebdo's cartoons but they are open to easy misinterpretation and it seemed inevitable that the finer points of the magazine's satire would be lost in translation as the images circulate around the world.

The weekly carries a total of four cartoons, two of them showing the Prophet naked.

The government defended the right of the magazine to publish the cartoons, which played off of the film The Innocence of Muslims, and riot police took up positions outside the offices of the magazine, which was firebombed last year after it released an edition that mocked radical Islam.

The amateurish movie, which portrays the prophet as a fraud, a womaniser and a child molester, has set off violence in seven countries that has killed at least 28 people, including the US ambassador to Libya.

Government authorities and Muslim leaders urged calm in France, which has western Europe's largest Muslim population.

CFCM, an umbrella group for French Muslims, issued a statement expressing "deep concern" over the caricatures and warning that "in a very tense context, it risks exacerbating tensions and provoking reactions".

 It urged French Muslims to "not cede to provocation and ... express their indignation in peace via legal means".

Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault said organisers of a demonstration planned for Saturday against Innocence of Muslims won't receive police authorisation.

"There's no reason for us to let a conflict that doesn't concern France come into our country," Ayrault told French radio RTL.

Paris prosecutors have opened an investigation into an unauthorised protest last Saturday around the US Embassy that drew about 150 people and led to scores of arrests.

The tensions surrounding the film are provoking debate in France about the limits of free speech.

One of the cartoonists, who goes by the name of Tignous, defended the drawings in an interview on Wednesday with The Associated Press at the weekly's offices, on the northeast edge of Paris amid a cluster of housing projects.

"It's just a drawing," he said. "It's not a provocation."

The prime minister said freedom of expression is guaranteed in France, but cautioned that it "should be exercised with responsibility and respect".

Fabius, speaking on France Inter radio, said the principle of freedom of expression "must not be infringed".

But he added: "Is it pertinent, intelligent, in this context to pour oil on the fire? The answer is no."

On the streets of Paris, public reaction was mixed.

"I'm not shocked at all. If this shocks people, well too bad for them," said Sylvain Marseguerra, a 21-year-old student at the Sorbonne.

"We are free to say what we want. We are a country in which freedom prevails and ... if this doesn't enchant some people, well too bad for them."

Khairreddene Chabbara disagreed. "We are for freedom of expression, but when it comes to religion it shouldn't hurt the feelings of believers."





 

Mohamnmed

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Your Comments

Mr

Ben - from Melb, 8 months ago

Selective publishing on SBS' comment section is a joke, it's just wrong!! Ye either have a comment section or ye don't!!!! Aj you are dreaming and very wrong!! If WWIII were to happen like you say it would be very short lived!! Crushed is a word that pops in my mind!! Instead of riling up young Muslims to get slaughtered, why would you not want to educate them instead, starting with this mantra my mum taught me when i was 5 .....sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me!! Or are ye just incapable of peaceful resolutions???

Good but to where

Rashid - from Perth, 8 months ago

Aj from Sydney. “ ..these insults are going to be good for Al-Qaeda and its affiliates, bad for the future generations in the West”. Yes it will be very bad as long they choose their so called leaders from a group of clergy of various factions they call This or That Islam. But then they have no choice either as there is a vacuum of capable worthy political leadership in the Muslim world, often erroneously called the Islamic world! You have made some good points Aj.

Stand up for freedom

Fernando - from Sydney, 8 months ago

The radical fundamental Islamists must learn how to take criticism and satire etc. without going crazy. Having their religious sensitivities dented does NOT give these people the right to riot and kill innocent people. The only way forward is to challenge them and stand up to their bullying. There are people around the word in prison and on death row for simply stating their opinion that god/Allah etc doesn't exist. This cannot go on. Freedom of religion and freedom from religion.

Good but to where?

AJ - from Sydney, 8 months ago

I always thought that when someone takes something for granted, they lose it. The stability we have enjoyed since the end of the Second World War was taken for granted, so we will lose it soon. These insults against the Prophet of Islam are good for 1.4 billion Muslims. They will awaken a dormant giant from his 600 year sleep. Muslims will realize that these insults reflect their weakness on the global political stage, which will make the message of Al-Qaeda resonate stronger with the Muslim youth around the Muslim world. I see that we are heading to a third world war that will be fought for religious not territorial reasons. So prepare the new generation for a different world they will fight in not live in. These groups insulting Muslims claim Freedom of Speech but yet they refrain from criticizing or doubting the Holocaust ! It really matters not. I think these insults are going to be good for Al-Qaeda and its affiliates, bad for the future generations in the West.

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