Caricatures: Anger against France is growing in the streets of Baghdad
Audio 01:20
Protesters burning a French flag during a demonstration in Baghdad, October 26, 2020. AP Photo / Khalid Mohammed
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4 min
After the beheading of Samuel Paty, Emmanuel Macron defended the cartoons of Muhammad, causing widespread anger in the Muslim world.
Iraqi religious authorities claim that the French president insulted Islam in his recent speeches.
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With our correspondent in Baghdad,
Lucile Wassermann
At the Abu Hanifa Mosque, one of the most important Sunni mosques in Baghdad, Imam Abdulwahab al-Samarrai does not mince words against the French president, after his defense of Muhammad caricatures.
“
The Muslim generations will never forget this insult from a president, coming from a country that we thought was a friend,” he
explains.
I urge the French to choose someone to represent them, not to upset the peoples of the Arab and Muslim world.
"
"
Islam is in crisis
", also affirmed Emmanuel Macron in early October.
An unacceptable diagnosis for this imam.
He stresses, however, that nothing justifies the act of beheading: “
We are not calling for chaos.
And there is chaos.
We must not take life for that, only justice must decide that.
"
Demonstrations and call for boycott
But anger is growing in the streets of Baghdad, where demonstrations are increasing and residents are calling for a boycott of French products.
Muther Kadhim, in the city center of the capital: “
If they do not issue a
press
release to apologize, we will boycott French products and we will organize demonstrations, as has already been the case.
"
The Quai d'Orsay recently reacted, claiming that these initiatives distorted French positions regarding fundamental freedoms, and in particular freedom of expression.
►Also read: Report - Kuwait, one of the first countries to withdraw French products from its supermarkets
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Iraq
Emmanuel Macron
France
Islam
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