Rising anger in Muslim world over France Islamophobia

AhlulBayt News Agency (ABNA):  The salvo of criticism and condemnation comes on the heels of a nationwide crackdown launched by the French president on so-called ‘radical Islam’ with the promise of even tougher action following the murder of a teacher by a Chechen teenager on October 16.

Vociferous reactions to that and his defense of Charlie Hebdo, the magazine that published insulting cartoons of the prophet Muhammad came from Muslims around the world in the form of protests Syria, Turkey, Iraq, Pakistan, Bangladesh and elsewhere.

That coupled with unequivocal denunciation from Muslim leaders and statesmen. Iran’s foreign minister Java Zarif has called Charlie Hebdo’s offensive depictions of the prophet Muhammad as an opportunistic abuse of freedom of speech that would only fuel extremism.

Turkey’s President has become one of a number of other leaders, to call for a boycott of French products. He’s also suggested his French counterpart should have his brain examined.

Despite the growing backlash, president Macron has refused to condemn the Charlie Hebdo cartoons and has instead urged an end to calls for a boycott of French products.

France is home to the Europe’s largest Muslim community. It’s also a country that has banned support for the Boycott Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement among other things, but allows the deliberate insulting of the beliefs of 1.8 billion Muslims in the name of freedom of Speech.

France observers say what’s happening in the western European country right now is causing more divisiveness along with fears that what political leaders call zero tolerance for Islamic extremism will escalate into more violence.

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