June 22, 200719 yr British Muslims burn St George's flag at anti-Rushdie rally Last updated at 16:33pm on 22nd June 2007 Comments (9) Muslims burned the flag of St George and called for the Queen to 'Go to Hell' in a furious rally held in London over Salman Rushdie's knighthood. Angry Muslim extremists rallying at Regents Park Mosque said that anger over the award could match the fierce reaction to publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in Denmark in 2006. Organisers of a protest outside the mosque claimed several hundred demonstrators were denouncing the decision to reward Rushdie, whose novel "The Satanic Verses" led to a death threat from Iran in 1989. "This knighthood is just another example of Tony Blair and his government's attempts to secularize Muslims and reward apostates," said Anjem Choudray, protest organizer and an ex-head of the British wing of the banned radical group al-Muhajiroun. Scroll down for more... The demonstrators burned the St George's flag in a furious rally "Rushdie is a hate figure across the Muslim world because of his insults to Islam," Choudray said. "This honour will have ramifications here and across the world". A prominent Iranian cleric has said the fatwa death warrant against author Salman Rushdie issued by the late Iranian Ayatollah Ruholla Khomeini in 1989 was "still alive" in the Islamic Republic. Scroll down for more... The protest has drawn hundreds of angry British muslims to Regents Park Mosque in North London The comments by Ahmad Khatami at Friday prayers broadcast on state radio were the latest sign of the anger in Iran sparked by Britain's decision to award a knighthood to Rushdie. Muslims say his novel "The Satanic Verses" blasphemed against the Prophet Mohammad and ridiculed the Koran. "In the Islamic Iran that revolutionary fatwa of Imam (Khomeini) is still alive and cannot be changed," Khatami, who often rails against the West, told worshippers in Tehran. Scroll down for more... British Muslims protest outside Regents Park mosque In 1998, Iran's government formally distanced itself from the death warrant, but hardline groups in Iran regularly renew the call for his murder, saying Khomeini's fatwa is irrevocable. Pakistan's parliament renewed a call on Friday for Britain to withdraw a knighthood for author Salman Rushie and apologise for hurting Muslim feelings. Scroll down for more... Protesters in Pakistan burn effigies of Salman Rushdie Rushdie, whose 1988 novel "The Satanic Verses" outraged many Muslims around the world, was awarded a knighthood for services to literature in Queen Elizabeth's birthday honours list last week. Pakistan and Iran have protested against the honour and the Pakistani parliament condemned it in a resolution on Monday. The National Assembly lower house of parliament passed another resolution on Friday expressing dismay Britain had not reversed its decision. Scroll down for more... The Rushdie row shows no signs of abating as the bounty on his head continues to rise "The British government has not withdrawn the title which has not only disappointed the entire Pakistani nation but has also hurt it," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Sher Afgan Niazi told the assembly. "This august house again calls on the British government and its Prime Minister Tony Blair to immediately withdraw the title... and tender an apology to the Muslim world." Muslims say Rushdie's novel blasphemed against the Prophet Mohammad and ridiculed the Koran. Britain has defended the knighthood, stressing the importance of free speech and saying it was part of a trend of honouring Muslims in the British community. At least five people were killed and scores wounded in protests against the book in the Pakistani capital in 1989. Two days after that, the late Ayatollah Rohallah Khomeini, Iran's supreme religious leader, issued a fatwa, or religious decree, calling on Muslims to kill the Indian-born British writer, who spent the next nine years living in hiding. Religious Affairs Minister Mohammad Ejaz-ul-Haq, son of Pakistan's late military president Mohammad Zia-ul-Haq, told the assembly this week that if someone committed a suicide bombing to protect the Prophet Mohammad's honour, his act was justified. He later said he did not mean such attacks were justified but was merely saying militants could use the knighthood as a justification for violence. A hardline cleric called on Wednesday for Rushdie to be killed and the next day the speaker of the Punjab provincial assembly said blasphemers should be killed. A group of traders in Islamabad on Thursday offered a reward of 10 million rupees ($165,000) to anyone who killed Rushdie.
June 22, 200719 yr Hmm, yeah, it's a bit annoying that this much fuss has occured but I knew it would...... That's why Rushdie Knighthood was approved by Lord Jacob Rothschild. Rushdie hasn't done a single 'great' piece of literary work in his life. It's all about creating Islamic anger. Or creating a story where Islamic anger can be artificially pushed.
June 22, 200719 yr If they don't like the country, than what's stopping them packing up their bags and leaving to another country?
June 22, 200719 yr Author If they don't like the country, than what's stopping them packing up their bags and leaving to another country? Excellent point.;)
June 23, 200719 yr If they don't like the country, than what's stopping them packing up their bags and leaving to another country? I'm affraid that is not what you do when things go against what you think is right.
June 23, 200719 yr Author I'm affraid that is not what you do when things go against what you think is right. Well national flag burning should be made a criminal offence, anyway, as it's extremely inciteful. What they think about Salman Rushdie is up to them, but as soon as they start making death threats against him, they should be arrested, as that is a criminal offence.;)
June 23, 200719 yr Well national flag burning should be made a criminal offence, anyway, as it's extremely inciteful. What they think about Salman Rushdie is up to them, but as soon as they start making death threats against him, they should be arrested, as that is a criminal offence.;) Of course, I agree with you. (My point was - you don't leave your county if you think something is wrong - you fight for what you think is right) But giving Salman Rushdie a pointless knighthood was always going to cause a lot of Muslims to feel angry and a select few (as always) will take the protest of his coming honour too far. I truly think this was the desired effect...really. Also, those English flags no doubt have a small label on the back that says two things - 100% Polyester and Made In China. :confused:
June 23, 200719 yr Author Of course, I agree with you. My point was - you don't leave your county if you think something is wrong - you fight for what you think is right. However, if you live in that country should make your protest within the rules of that country, or suffer the consequences. I have absolutely no problem with these guys protesting against Salman Rushdie's knighthood, if they really feel so incensed about it. However, there is no place for death threats of any kind in a civilised society, regardless of whether that person is Salman Rushdie, Tony Blair, or a mad-axe murderer.;) But giving Salman Rushdie a pointless knighthood was always going to cause a lot of Muslims to feel angry and a select few (as always) will take the protest of his coming honour too far. I truly think this was the desired effect...really. There are plenty of knighthoods and awards I feel are completely undeserved, but I would never consider protesting or making death threats in relation to them!!;) Also, those English flags no doubt have a small label on the back that says two things - 100% Polyester and Made In China. :confused: Regardless of where the flag was made, it is representative of the people of the country concerned, and therefore should be afforded due respect. The other day I saw a documentary on TV where an American citizen with extreme religious views was disrespecting the U.S. flag. Whatever her views about the government/Bush, the flag is representative of the nation/people (including her) and therefore she should be thoroughly ashamed of herself.;) No wonder people are moved to hurl abuse and attack her! What did she expect?:stunned:
June 23, 200719 yr However, if you live in that country should make your protest within the rules of that country, or suffer the consequences. I have absolutely no problem with these guys protesting against Salman Rushdie's knighthood, if they really feel so incensed about it. However, there is no place for death threats of any kind in a civilised society, regardless of whether that person is Salman Rushdie, Tony Blair, or a mad-axe murderer.;) I know, I already agreed with you on that. There's always the few burning flags that make the news. I could set that up for crying out loud. There are plenty of knighthoods and awards I feel are completely undeserved, but I would never consider protesting or making death threats in relation to them!!;) I know, I already agreed with you on that too. Regardless of where the flag was made, it is representative of the people of the country concerned, and therefore should be afforded due respect. Yeah, I know, I just was making a point that British people are generally waving around our flags which are made abroad, mostly in China......I just thought it's the ultimate sign of British manufacturing moving to countries where the governments are even more corrupt than ours and we are mostly buying goods made by over-worked, under-paid men, women and children. But, hey....GOD SAVE THE QUEEN!!? Pah! Bullshit.
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