Protest at France’s London Embassy over Prophet Cartoons
Around a hundred Muslim protesters gathered outside the French embassy in London on Friday, shouting slogans against a French magazine that published cartoons insulting Prophet Muhammad.
Protesters outside France's Embassy in London's plush Knightsbridge district shouted "Allahu Akbar" (God Is the Greatest) and waved placards reading "Sharia for France" and "Muslims Will Conquer France".
A police cordon held the demonstrators back from the embassy while around 25 women protested in a separate group nearby.
One protester, who gave her name as Om Abdullah, said she came to the demonstration with her child to "raise her voice".
Protester Untuaz Ahmad, 34, said both the film and cartoons had been "very upsetting".
"This is not acceptable. This is not freedom of speech," he said. "We want the French government to take action against the people who have done this."
France has banned protests over the cartoons on the grounds that they would represent a threat to public order.
French missions, schools and cultural centers in 20 countries -- although not in Britain -- closed for the day on Friday over security concerns, while Western missions across the Arab world were on high alert.
Tens of thousands took to the streets after Friday prayers in countries across the Middle East and Asia, as anger over the film showed little sign of abating.
By Sadroddin Musawi
Other links:
France Bans Protests over Prophet Muhammad Cartoons
Italy FM: Prophet Cartoons Irresponsible Sensationalism
U.S. Judge Rejects Call to Ban Film on Net
Muslim Anti-Film Protest Hits London
