It’s obvious that millions of Americans are skipping out on current events until Barack Obama’s upcoming fundraiser with Beyonce and Jay-Z, but they still might find time to check out this quick list of “Friday of Anger” Muslim protests from across the globe. They were sourced by John Hudson of The Atlantic Wire.
The pretext for these protests is an obscure YouTube video post months ago by an unknown filmmaker who is supposedly Jewish or Coptic Christian. The alleged filmmaker was taken in for questioning, apparently for exercising an unauthorized expression of his free speech rights.
The White House has contacted YouTube to remove the video, so add YouTube to the list of things whose fault it is besides Barack Obama. Because you know, he’s just an innocent bystander to his own administration.
The first wave of Muslim protests began on the anniversary of September 11th at the Cairo embassy and was announced in advance on August 30th by the terrorist group Jamaa Islamiyah. Several protesters chanted slogans related to the Obama administration’s killing of Osama bin Laden around the globe. The black al Qaeda flag was hoisted in several locations.
It is doubtful that the movie is anything more than an excuse for the anti-American uprisings or the killing of a U.S. ambassador and three other Americans in Libya. Even if it were the only cause, that illustrates that Islam’s “proud history of tolerance,” as the president put it, is just a sham. They also expose the president’s naively sanguine view of the Muslim world.
The following is a run-down of the known protests:
London, UK
“About 200 protesters are burning USA and Israeli flags outside the US embassy in London,” Al Jazeera reports.
Amsterdam, Netherlands
“The American consulate on the Museumplein in Amsterdam is to close earlier than usual on Friday because of a planned demonstration by Muslims in the late afternoon,” reports DutchNews.nl. “Two schools in the neighbourhood are also to close early, Nos television said.”
Istanbul, Turkey
“Hundreds of people gathered in Istanbul’s Beyazit Square to protest the prophet film,” reports the AP. “The protest was organized by Turkey’s main Islamist political party, Saadet.”
Casablanca, Morocco
“Between 300 and 400 Muslim activists had gathered outside the US consulate in Morocco’s largest city Casablanca on Wednesday, amid a heavy police presence, protesting against the film and shouting anti-US slogans,” reports Al Jazeera.
Sale, Morocco
“Hundreds of Salafists burned US flags in Morocco after Friday prayers at a mosque in a poor neighbourhood of Sale, twin town to the Moroccan capital Rabat,” reports Al Jazeera. “Around 200 of the hardline Islamists gathered, shouting anti-US slogans including ‘American satan’, before trampling on two US flags and then ripping them up and setting them ablaze.”
Tunisia
Protesters in Tunisia have set fire to an American school in the capital Tunis, according to Reuters. The New York Post reports that “Anti-American rioting spread yesterday to Tunisia, where police used tear gas to stop hundreds of protesters from storming the United States Embassy in protest over a film mocking the prophet Mohammed.”
Mauritania
“Mauritanian youths also went out in a demonstration that covered the streets of Nouakchott condemning the offensive film,” reports Link TV. “Protestors gathered in front of the American embassy, calling for its shutdown and the expulsion of the American ambassador, which is the least that could be done for this criminal act. They also chanted slogans condemning this offensive film.”
Jos, Nigeria
“Nigerian troops fired live rounds on Friday to disperse Muslims protesting in the volatile central city of Jos against an American film about the Prophet Mohammad that has triggered unrest in several countries across the Islamic world,” reports Reuters. “Scores of Muslim demonstrators distributed photographs printed out from the trailer of the film, which Muslims say insults the Prophet, after Friday prayers in Jos.”
Mombasa, Kenya
“A group of Kenyan muslims burn[ed] the US flag in protest over the anti-Muslim film that has spawned mob violence against American embassies across the Mideast, following afternoon prayers outside the Sakina Jamia Mosque in the port city of Mombasa, Kenya Friday,” reports the AP.
Khartoum, Sudan
“Britain’s Foreign Office says police in Sudan are confronting a protest outside the British embassy in Khartoum,” reports the AP. Additionally, Reuters reports “Protesters pull down emblem at German embassy in Sudan, raise Islamic flag.” The Guardian is showing photographs of the German embassy on fire.
Mogadishu, Somalia
“Thousands of Somali protesters have taken to the streets of capital Mogadishu to express their anger over the anti-Islam movie produced by an Israeli-American in the United States,” reports Iran’s Press TV. “The demonstration in the Somali capital is being held to express anger against the film, which insults the holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).”
Sanaa, Yemen
“In Sanaa, Yemen, the U.S. Embassy was overrun Thursday by protesters who stormed a wall, set fire to a building inside the compound, broke windows and carried away office supplies and other souvenirs before being dispersed by local security forces,” reports The Washington Post.
Tripoli, Libya
“The US dispatched an elite group of Marines to Tripoli on Wednesday after the mob attack that killed the US ambassador and three other Americans,” reports the AP. “Officials were investigating whether the rampage was a backlash to an anti-Islamic video with ties to Coptic Christians or a plot to coincide with the anniversary of 9/11.”
Benghazi, Libya
“Ansar al Sharia supporters protesting in front of Tibesty Hotel in Benghazi carrying black flags,” reports Al Jazeera via Twitter. “Maximum 50 pple.”
Cairo, Egypt
“In Cairo, clouds of tear gas floated through the fortified area around the U.S. Embassy as security forces clashed with protesters for the third straight day,” reports The Washington Post.
Gaza Strip
“Palestinians on Friday protested an anti-Muslim film, with thousands gathering in the Gaza Strip and hundreds in Jerusalem where there were clashes with Israeli police,” reports Now Lebanon.
Jerusalem
“Hundreds hurl stones at officers in Jerusalem after Friday prayers at al-Aqsa Mosque while protesters rallied against anti-Islam film,” reports Ynet News.
Nablus, West Bank
“In the city of Nablus, about 200 people demonstrated against the film as Muslim clerics throughout the territory preached against it in Friday sermons,” reports the AP.
Amman, Jordan
“Jordanian protesters burn a US flag in front of the Kurdi Mosque near the USA embassy in Amman,” reports the AP. Iran’s Press TV reports that more than 2,000 Jordanians took to the streets to protest the movie. “We sacrifice our soul and blood for the prophet,” said demonstrators. “We do not want a US embassy on Jordanian territory.”
Damascus, Syria
“Sana, Syria’s state news agency, said hundreds of pro-government supporters protested outside the US embassy in Damascus today,” reports The Guardian. “Protesters held images of beleaguered president Bashar al-Assad and what appeared to be government-organised demonstration.” According to photographer Louai Beshara, the purpose of the demonstration was to oppose the anti-Islam film.
Tripoli, Lebanon
“Hundreds of protesters set alight a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli on Friday, witnesses said, chanting against the pope’s visit to Lebanon and shouting anti-American slogans,” reports Reuters. The news agency attributed the violence to the papal vist and the controversial film.
Baghdad, Iraq
“In Iraq, reaction to the video clip has been limited to followers of Shiite groups linked to militias and neighboring Iran,” reports The Wall Street Journal. “Several hundred followers of anti-American cleric Moqtada al-Sadr held brief demonstrations in Baghdad’s Sadr City district, the southern oil city of Basra and other predominantly Shiite areas of the country, chanting ‘Death to America.'”
Kut, Iraq
“Iraqi supporters of Shiite cleric Moqtada al-Sadr’s movement, burn[ed] the Israeli and the US flags during a protest denouncing a film deemed offensive to Islam, on September 13, 2012 in the central Iraqi city of Kut,” reports the AFP.
Basrah, Iraq
In the southern city of Basra, about 1,000 took to the streets and burned the American and Israeli flags. One banner said: ‘Freedom doesn’t mean offending two billion Muslims,'” reports the AP.
Kuwait
“About 500 demonstrators gathered yesterday near the US embassy in Kuwait waving a black Al-Qaeda flag in protest of a film mocking Islam,” reports AFP. “President Barack ‘Obama, we are all Osama,’ they chanted referring to Al-Qaeda’s former leader Osama bin Laden who was killed by US forces last year, an AFP photographer at the site of the demonstration reported.”
Tehran, Iran
“In Tehran, students gathered Thursday outside the Swiss Embassy, which represents U.S. interests in Iran, to protest the video,” The Wall Street Journal reports. “No violence was reported.”
Nangarhar Province, Afghanistan
“Afghans burn the U.S. flag in the Ghanikhel district of Nangarhar province, east of Kabul, Afghanistan, on September 14, 2012, during a protest against an anti-Islam film,” reports the AP.
Jalalabad, Afghanistan
“Hundreds of Afghans – some shouting ‘Death to America’ – have held a protest against an anti-Islam film in the eastern city of Jalalabad,” reports the AP.
Islamabad, Pakistan
“The protesters in Islamabad said that the film should be banned across the world and the filmmakers should be severely punished,” reports Pakistan’s The Express Tribune. “They also demanded that the US should apologise for the film.”
Karachi, Pakistan
“JI Chief Munawar Hassan, addressing a protest rally in the Nazimabad area of Karachi, demanded that the US government ban the movie and also demanded the Interior ministry of Pakistan lodge a protest with the US ambassador,” reports the Express Tribune.
Srinagar, India
“A Kashmiri Muslim with his face covered burn[ed] a mock American flag as others shout slogans during a protest Friday in Srinagar, India,” reports the AP.
Kashmir
“Thousands of angry Kashmiri Muslims protested Friday against an anti-Islam film, burning U.S. flags and calling President Barack Obama a ‘terrorist,’ while the top government cleric here reportedly demanded Americans leave the volatile Indian-controlled region immediately,” reports the AP. “At least 15,000 people took part in more than two dozen protests across Kashmir, chanting ‘Down with America’ and ‘Down with Israel’ in some of the largest anti-American demonstrations against the film in Asia.”
Lahore, Pakistan
“The rally in Lahore was organised by Tehreek-e-Hurmat-e-Rasool which was taken out from Green Chowk to Sohrab Khan, while the one in Multan was organised by Jamiat Talba Arbia and Shehri Mahaz. Protesters threw shoes at US and Israeli flags and set them on fire,” reports the Express Tribune.
Bangladesh
“About 1,000 Bangladeshi Islamists tried to march on the U.S. embassy in Dhaka on Thursday to protest against a U.S. film that is said to insult the Prophet Mohammad but security forces stopped them reaching the mission,” reports Reuters.
Hyderabad, India
“A peaceful protest was held here Friday against a blasphemous anti-Islam American movie,” reports News Track India. “Protestors set afire an effigy symbolising the US in the old city of Hyderabad. Police said no untoward incident took place during the protest.”
Chennai, India
“Protesters in southern India have been arrested for throwing rocks at the U.S. Consulate in Chennai, the city police commissioner said,” reports CNN. “As many as 200 protesters were demonstrating in front of the building, but the number arrested was not reported. There were no reported injuries.”
Sri Lanka
Protests have erupted in eastern Sri Lanka, according to the BBC, but details are thin on the size of the demonstration.
Maldives
Protests emerged in the Maldives, according to the BBC, but there are few details on the size of the demonstration.
Jakarta, Indonesia
“In Indonesia, the world’s most populous Muslim nation, about 200 protesters in Jakarta chanted slogans and held up signs in a largely peaceful protest outside the heavily guarded U.S. Embassy,” reports the Associated Press.
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysi
Muslims held demonstrations across Malaysia on Friday, calling for the United States to prevent distribution of an anti-Islam film they said was part of a plot by ‘Christian extremists,'” reports Ahram Online. “They included a group of about 30 people representing various Islamic organisations who marched to the US embassy in the capital Kuala Lumpur.”
Ipoh, Malaysia
“Malaysian media reported a… protest in the northern city of Ipoh,” reports Ahram Online.
