US Anti-Islamic film: Protests reach India now
Mangalore Today/ CNN-IBN
NEW DELHI, Sept 14: Outrage over a controversial movie that mocks Prophet Muhammed and hurts the sentiments of millions of Muslims worldwide has now swept on to Indian shores with lawyers in Jammu and Kashmir protesting against the film in Srinagar.
Dozens of Kashmiri protestors raised anti-US slogans against the controversial film "Innocence of Muslims" after Friday prayers at several places in Srinagar in the afternoon.
Protests were held in Nowhatta, Maisuma, Hazratbal, Alamgiri Bazaar, Abi Guzar, Sarai Bala and some other places in Srinagar.
Protestors also torched the US flag at some places in the city.
Reports from north Kashmir’s Baramulla town said that dozens of people gathered in the town square after Friday prayers to protest the blasphemous film.
Heavy deployment of police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had been made at sensitive places by the authorities as separatists called for protests and rallies after Friday prayers.
Earlier, dozens of local lawyers boycotted the courts in the city and carried out a protest march in the Civil Lines area here.
The J&K government has asked the central government to block access to an anti-Islam video posted on YouTube, saying that it can potentially cause a law and order problem in the state.
"We have approached the central government asking them to block the ’Innocence of Muslims’ video on YouTube, as it can cause a law and order problem in the state," Home Commissioner B.R. Sharma told IANS.
Protest spread all over.
Muslim protestors attack U.S. consulate in Chennai over anti Islam film
Muslim protestors attacked the U.S. consulate in Chennai on Friday.
Agitated protestors gathered outside the consulate building and shouted anti-US slogans as they pelted stones and burnt U.S. flags in protest against the anti Islam film, which some feel insults Prophet Mohammad.
No one was, however, injured in the incident.
Policemen were deployed in and around the building of the U.S. consulate to prevent any untoward incident from reoccurring and they also barricaded the road leading to the building.
Soon after the attack, a US consulate official visited the site to take stock of the situation.
The 13-minute English-language video portrays the Muslim Prophet Mohammad.
Many of the Islamic faith regard any depiction of the prophet as blasphemous.
The amateur production, entitled the "Innocence of Muslims," and originating in the United States, portrays the Prophet Mohammad in a negative manner.
Caricatures or other characterizations of Prophet Mohammad have in the past-provoked violent protests across the Muslim world.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said Washington had nothing to do with the crudely made film posted on the Internet, which she called ’disgusting and reprehensible’.
Anrgy demonstrations against the film has spread to several countries across the Middle East and North Africa.
Libya
The US ambassador to Libya was killed during a protest against the film on Tuesday at the US consulate in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi when Islamists armed with guns, mortars and grenades staged military-style assaults on the mission and a safe house refuge.
Egypt
Egyptian protesters angry at a film they say insults Prophet Mohammad hurled stones on Friday at a line of police in Cairo blocking their way to the US embassy, which was attacked earlier this week.
Police in riot gear fired tear gas and threw stones back at the demonstrators. A burnt-out car was overturned in the middle of the street which leads to the fortified embassy from Tahrir Square.