Thousands Of Kano Muslims Protest 'Blasphemous' American Film
SAN FRANCISCO, September 22, (THEWILL) - Thousands of Muslims in Kano on Saturday embarked on a street demonstration against The Innocence Of Muslims, a made-in-America film believed to have portrayed Prophet Muhammad in bad light.
Under the umbrella of Islamic Movement of Nigeria, the Muslims staged a peaceful protest in the Fagge area of Kano, denouncing the said film and demanding its outright ban.
According to reports, the protesters commenced their march from a mosque in Fagge area and headed towards the palace of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, brandishing American and Israeli flags and chanting death to America, Israel and all enemies of Islam anywhere on earth.
But the demonstration, which lasted hours, was peaceful, as armoured tanks bearing fierce-looking security operatives dotted the designated routes of the protesters.
The group, believed to have links with the Pro-Iranian group that adheres to the Shiite faith of Islam, chanted denigrating songs against America and Israel.
Business activities were partially disrupted in areas where the protesters marched, leading to the hurried closedown of shops, and some traders expressed fears over possibilities of the protest escalating.
“The protest was to express our anger over the blasphemous film against Islam,” Muhammad Turi, one of the organisers of the protester, said. “It is also to send a message to halt the production of any other offensive film towards Islam.”
The protest ended at the Emir’s palace, where the irate Muslims set ablaze the American national flag after dragging several samples of it along the major streets of the city for hours.
The trailer of the video had been on the internet for several weeks without attracting real attention until last week’s protests in Egypt and killings of four U.S. nationals, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, in the Libyan city of Benghazi. Also, Muslims in America, where the film was produced, have yet to respond with any form of violent action.