Voice of America reports that the newest issue of Charlie Hebdo depicting a weeping Muhammad on the cover in response to the Paris terrorist attacks generated new demonstrations yesterday in much of Muslim Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The most violent of the demonstrations was in Niger where four people were killed and demonstrators set fire to a French cultural center and Christian churches, and attacked Christian shops. (Daily Mail reports five were killed.) Violent demonstrations also occurred in Pakistan, while peaceful demonstrations took place in many other countries. Islamic law prohibits physical representations of the Prophet Muhammad and other prophets as well. (See prior related posting.)
Meanwhile, as reported in Sunday's The Independent, British Prime Minister David Cameron has criticized remarks made made by Pope Francis at a press conference on Thursday (full text of Pope's press conference). The Pope said that people who make fun of, or make others' religion into toys, provoke and may find that "a punch awaits" them.
