Saudi condemns cartoons as France issues advisory

France warned its citizens living or travelling in several Muslimmajority countries to take extra security precautions on Tuesday as anger surged over cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

In a sign that some countries want to limit the fallout, Saudi Arabia condemned the cartoons but held back from echoing calls by other Muslim states for a boycott of French products or other actions.

A foreign ministry official also said in a statement that the Gulf state condemns all acts of terrorism, in an apparent reference to the beheading of the France teacher in Paris.

“Freedom of expression and culture should be a beacon of respect, tolerance and peace that rejects practices and acts which generate hatred, violence and extremism and are contrary to coexistence,” said the statement.

France’s foreign ministry on Tuesday issued safety advice to French citizens in Indonesia, Bangladesh, Iraq and Mauritania, advising them to exercise caution and told them to stay away from any protests over the cartoons and avoid any public gatherings.

Around 10,000 people rallied in Bangladesh capital Dhaka on Tuesday to protest Macron’s support of the secular laws that deem caricatures depicting the Prophet Muhammad as protected under freedom of speech.

Protesters from the conservative Islami Andolon Bangladesh group carried banners and placards reading: “All Muslims of the world, unite” and “Boycott France”.

It was the largest protest yet against the cartoons in recent days.