45 Churches Torched in Niger Capital in Cartoon Demos
Forty-five churches were torched over the weekend in Niger's capital during deadly protests over the publication of a Prophet Mohammed cartoon by the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, police said on Monday.
The protests, which left five people dead and 128 people injured in Niamey, also saw a Christian school and orphanage set alight, Adily Toro, a spokesman for the national police, told a press conference.
Similar unrest sparked by the French satirical weekly, which was targeted by a bloody Islamist raid on January 7, saw five people killed in the southern city of Zinder, where 45 were wounded.
In the attack on Charlie Hebdo, gunmen slew 12 people, saying they were avenging previous publications of cartoons depicting the prophet. A week later staff defiantly produced a "survivors' issue" with a new cartoon, winning backing from vocal supporters of freedom of expression, but further provoking Muslims in a number of countries.
"The French flag was burned," Toro said, adding that 189 people, including two minors, were arrested by police. Demonstrators also pillaged and burned numerous premises, including five hotels and 36 bars.
On Sunday, some 300 protestors in Niamey defied a ban on further demonstrations, throwing stones at police who tear-gassed them. The governor of the capital, Hamidou Garba, said 90 people were arrested, while local media said those detained included opposition leaders.
Muslim elder Yaou Sonna on Saturday urged people to stop attacking Christians. "Don't forget that Islam is against violence," he said on state television. "I urge men and women, boys and girls to calm down."
Many Muslims, who form an overwhelming majority of Niger's population, see any depiction of Islam's prophet as offensive.
almost 10 years
I'm quoting him verbatim anyone can check this on the "Syrian thugs beat up Lebanese lawyers" story go get someone to read it for you and thank you for sharing you classy eloquent Dahieh high culture with us ;-)
almost 10 years
well said mowaten
almost 10 years
Flamey stfu Mowaten said that and I remember that because I was arguing with him when he said that. And stfu with this M14 Saudi nonsense. The torching of these churches has nothing to do with Lebanese politics. This is about 45 churches getting burned by a bunch of 3beed saying je suis Muslim and here you are like your normal idiotic self bringing up Saudi-owned mentality seriously do you have any comments on the article??
almost 10 years
I don't get what you're trying to say. And that quote by Mowaten was on the article when the Assad lawyers started a riot in Cairo when the Mustaqbal guy said that the Syrian army is killing their own people.
That being said, I don't get why this quote was copied by hear hear, and why you and Texas are arguing about it has no relevance to 45 churches being torched.
almost 10 years
FT in full nervous breakdown mode.
almost 10 years
The ignorance of these Muslims amazes me. These cartoonists are secular and not religious. Just because these cartoonists live in a country that is mostly Christian does not mean the people who did the cartoons were religious. These cartoonists did not do these cartoons in the name of God. That's what these Muslims need to understand. What do these churches have to do with it. That is why my Muslim friends I say that your religion disproportionately compared to any other religion has more whack jobs than any other religion. I'm not saying all, but more tha. Any other religion does these things in the name of God. I guarantee you this does not please God.
almost 10 years
I agree with you that God is not pleased with what happened.
In Islam, if somebody made wrong, you are not allowed to punish his family, his relatives, his friends, his religion..etc.
this is really not accepted.
what i want to confirm is that, not all Muslims are same, even not all Christians are same. bad people are available everywhere unfortunately.
almost 10 years
by the way, God didn't tell me personally that he is not pleased with what happened. he mentioned that in Quran.
Read Quran and then you will understand.
thanks for the point but don't use his name to respond.
almost 10 years
not funny at all, your comment wasn't successful.
if a Muslim made a fun of Jesus (peace be upon him) or Moses (peace be upon him), go burn all Mosques everywhere
Muslims believe in Jesus (as prophet) and in Moses as well, so they will not do it anyway.
for your information
almost 10 years
well said defacto
almost 10 years
Hey god quit playing around, your party's jihadis are being blown up to bits by your chosen people and you are wasting your time surfing the Internet. You used to be great at multitasking but obviously not any more shame!
almost 10 years
Sorry to all people who suffered from those ignorants that have nothing to do with God, religion, faith, humanity and any actions taken to stop them are necessary. ISLAM is suffering first... because of them. SO actions should start from Muslims to eradicate this disasteres problem.
almost 10 years
I remember when I was in Lebanon and it was Ramadan I was in place in dahieh, at a famous fast food place, I believe it was called abu ali falafel, but not sure, anyways. I was eating that tutifruity and people were looking at me with anger, until one guy came, told me something in Arabic "Allah Akbar, Labayka Ya Nassrallah or something Labayka Ya Hussein", and tried to take away my cup of fruits. Until a police or army some security guy, told the fanatic to back off.
almost 10 years
These people should be sentenced to death. What they're doing is disgusting. The Charlie Hebdo cartoon has nothing to do with Christianity. All these ignorant people burn churches then carry a je suis Muslim sign, then all the Muslims support them and say "nickjames je suis Muslim." A couple days ago it was eight churches, now it's 45. Are you sure these people are even Muslims anymore?
almost 10 years
Obvious sarcarsm
almost 10 years
With all these PEACEFUL demonstration, I urge the word to believe that "Islam is against violence".
If you doubt that "islam is a religion of peace" you're beheaded.
Quoting mouwaten that most intellectual of the local secular Shiite commentators: "They're free to say what they want, they're also free to get whooped when they insult people. They totally deserved the beating for these provocations"