Thousands of Malians Take to Streets to Protest Anti-Islam Video

By Staff, Agencies

Thousands of people have gathered in Bamako, the capital of Mali, to protest the publication of an insulting anti-Islam video on social media.

The office of Bamako’s prosecutor said six people were charged on Thursday with complicity in the release of a “blasphemous” video in which a man makes offensive comments against Muslims, the Quran and Prophet Muhammad [PBUH].

Police said the demonstration was organized by the High Islamic Council of Mali [HCM] and was attended by thousands of people. But the organizers of the demonstration have estimated the number of people present at more than one million people.

The protesters had written slogans such as “No to blasphemous comments” and “No more attacks on Islam and the Prophet Mohammed” on their banners.

Speaking to AFP, Imam Abdoulaye Fadiga said that what happened cannot be forgiven and the authors and publishers of the offensive video should be arrested and tried.

Haby Diallo, a 40-year-old religious school teacher, said interfaith dialogue should be promoted, and everyone should respect each other’s religion and beliefs.

A source in the prosecutor’s office said that the six people are in temporary custody for refusing to reveal the hiding place of the main accused in the video.

Nearly 95% of Mali’s population is Muslim, and the affair has caused uproar in the country.

A group of leaders and religious associations and the highest financial Islamic institution [HCM] demanded severe punishment for the publisher of the offensive video.