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Call for a boycott, angry protesters, burning French flags: President Emmanuel Macron has drawn the ire of parts of the Muslim world. The protests were triggered by his clarifications after the beheading of teacher Samuel Paty. France will defend freedom of speech and still allow Mohammed cartoons, the head of state let the world know.
Above all, however, many believers resented Macron’s widespread observation: Islam is “in crisis all over the world.” And Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said he did not believe in separate shelves of halal products in supermarkets, because it allows a religious community to separate itself from the rest of society.
The anger of Muslims in some parts of the world is so great today that Paris has issued new security warnings for several countries. The French should stay away from the crowds as much as possible.
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The focus of the dispute is less the violent death of the teacher or the murder of three people in Nice (the attacks are mostly condemned as cruel acts by individual extremists) but rather the hostile treatment of Islam. Some politicians in the Arab world embrace this sentiment.
They lament “systematic attacks” on the feelings of Muslims, there is talk of insults. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi warns, for example: “Stop hurting us.” Iran’s Foreign Minister Jschwad Sarif even talks about Muslims being victims of a “culture of hatred” that is being reinforced by the colonial powers.
Western arrogance is also deplored with regard to cartoons of the prophet. Terror and Islam would band together.
Will the conflict develop an incalculable dynamic? Could Muslims become as radical as they were in 2005, when the Danish newspaper “Jyllands Posten” published satirical images of Muhammad, set the country’s embassies on fire and violence erupted?
It is difficult to predict at this point. However, observers do not expect the situation to calm down quickly: the degree of anger against France is considered too great. After Friday prayers there were many demonstrations with thousands of participants, from Ethiopia to Afghanistan to Bangladesh.
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Slogans such as “We are all soldiers of the Prophet Muhammad” or “Drive away the French dog” were chanted in the streets. Angry protesters clashed with security forces in Pakistan and Lebanon.
Therefore, it is not surprising that French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian urgently warns: “The threat is everywhere.”
