Chechen Republic
12-02-2006, 00:56
Muslims protest peacefully in Montreal against caricatures of Muhammad
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
at 16:50 on February 11, 2006, EST.
By DANIEL BEAULIEU
MONTREAL (CP) - Chanting their love for Muhammad, about 300 Muslims gathered near McGill University on Saturday to protest against caricatures of their prophet.
The protest coincided with another demonstration in Toronto that attracted about 1,300 people and several others across Europe against the cartoons, which have sparked deadly violence in some cases.
"We're here today to let the world know one thing: We want to be heard and we won't be labelled," said Said Jazeri, the imam of the Al-Qods mosque, which organized the protest.
"We are not savages, we are not barbarians," Jazeri said.
While the protest was peaceful, leaders of many Muslim groups in Montreal urged their members not to participate in the protest because they feared it would turn violent. Instead, they opened mosques to the public.
The protesters also decided to stay away from the nearby Danish consulate to diminish the chances of violence.
Jazeri, eyeing about 50 people held a counter-protest on the other side of the street in favour of freedom of speech, added: "I advise all my brothers to keep calm and not respond to provocations."
About 25 police officers kept a watch over the protest and arrested a man who was shouting profanities against Islam.
Riots have broken out around the world in recent weeks during protests against the cartoons that first appeared in a Danish newspaper last September.
Many in the crowd were still angry that the cartoons were re-published last week by several European newspapers trying to make a point about freedom of speech.
"This is because someone has touched our holy things," said Iraqi immigrant Soad Reda, who was flanked by her twin nine-year-old daughters holding up passages from the Koran.
"Nobody has (the right) to touch his life or his history," she said.
"That makes us very nervous. If they touch our prophet, one day we will touch your prophet."
Mohammed Rahmaoui, who addressed the crowd by loudspeaker, added: "Your democracy says that everyone must live in peace. So all the Muslims here in Quebec and Canada are here to live with you in peace."
"But we will never accept, please, any insults against the Prophet."
Another participant in the protest also denounced terrorism and America.
"We also want to denounce al-Qaida, this nightmare created by American imperialism to justify its economic empire on the planet."
http://start.shaw.ca/start/enCA/News/NationalNewsArticle.htm?src=n021115A.xml
I am totally gald that there was a peaceful protest. Even though their were some racist bastards that tried to counter-protest with free speech but one of them was dealt with by police.
So the Muslim community did not sink to the level of the counter-protestors and I think this will silence any Islamophobia that was growing in Canada.
And since the provincial government in Quebec, and i believe the federal have decided to make Islamophobia a crime in Canada, I think those cartoons would be illegal here which is good.
And, in Canada their is a limited boycott of Danish goods which I think is good as well.
Good all around.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
at 16:50 on February 11, 2006, EST.
By DANIEL BEAULIEU
MONTREAL (CP) - Chanting their love for Muhammad, about 300 Muslims gathered near McGill University on Saturday to protest against caricatures of their prophet.
The protest coincided with another demonstration in Toronto that attracted about 1,300 people and several others across Europe against the cartoons, which have sparked deadly violence in some cases.
"We're here today to let the world know one thing: We want to be heard and we won't be labelled," said Said Jazeri, the imam of the Al-Qods mosque, which organized the protest.
"We are not savages, we are not barbarians," Jazeri said.
While the protest was peaceful, leaders of many Muslim groups in Montreal urged their members not to participate in the protest because they feared it would turn violent. Instead, they opened mosques to the public.
The protesters also decided to stay away from the nearby Danish consulate to diminish the chances of violence.
Jazeri, eyeing about 50 people held a counter-protest on the other side of the street in favour of freedom of speech, added: "I advise all my brothers to keep calm and not respond to provocations."
About 25 police officers kept a watch over the protest and arrested a man who was shouting profanities against Islam.
Riots have broken out around the world in recent weeks during protests against the cartoons that first appeared in a Danish newspaper last September.
Many in the crowd were still angry that the cartoons were re-published last week by several European newspapers trying to make a point about freedom of speech.
"This is because someone has touched our holy things," said Iraqi immigrant Soad Reda, who was flanked by her twin nine-year-old daughters holding up passages from the Koran.
"Nobody has (the right) to touch his life or his history," she said.
"That makes us very nervous. If they touch our prophet, one day we will touch your prophet."
Mohammed Rahmaoui, who addressed the crowd by loudspeaker, added: "Your democracy says that everyone must live in peace. So all the Muslims here in Quebec and Canada are here to live with you in peace."
"But we will never accept, please, any insults against the Prophet."
Another participant in the protest also denounced terrorism and America.
"We also want to denounce al-Qaida, this nightmare created by American imperialism to justify its economic empire on the planet."
http://start.shaw.ca/start/enCA/News/NationalNewsArticle.htm?src=n021115A.xml
I am totally gald that there was a peaceful protest. Even though their were some racist bastards that tried to counter-protest with free speech but one of them was dealt with by police.
So the Muslim community did not sink to the level of the counter-protestors and I think this will silence any Islamophobia that was growing in Canada.
And since the provincial government in Quebec, and i believe the federal have decided to make Islamophobia a crime in Canada, I think those cartoons would be illegal here which is good.
And, in Canada their is a limited boycott of Danish goods which I think is good as well.
Good all around.