Lankan Muslims too protest against mocking video

With the Muslim community across the world protesting against the video “Innocence of Muslims”, produced in the United States, Muslim organisations here too staged protests in a number of areas.

Colombo, Kalpitiya, Trincomalee, Batticaloa and Ampara saw a number of protests throughout the week.

In Colombo, around 1,500 Muslims took to the streets last Wednesday joining the protest organized by the Sri Lanka Thawheed Jamath (SLTJ) and the Muslim Rights Organisation (MRO) in front of the Colombo Fort railway station.

The protestors carrying anti-US slogans marched to the embassy of the United States in Colombo.

Riot Police and vehicles were deployed as a safety precaution to avoid any violence. The leaders of the organisations were then taken to the American Embassy in a police vehicle where they handed over a petition.

“We submitted a petition to the American Embassy officials requesting them to urge the authorities in the United States to remove the video and issue a warning to the company that is promoting the short clip on Google,” said SLTJ president R.M. Riyal.

He said the video is degrading the Muslim community and most of all Prophet Muhammad.

SLTJ secretary Abdur Rafeeq who was leading the protests said the protests were organised mainly to show the dissatisfaction towards people who produced and promoted the video.

“The US Government is responsible for not taking action against the producers and it’s a shame that persons like Hillary Clinton making statements that the Government cannot be held accountable for the video,” he said.

The SLTJ is planning to hold protests island-wide if necessary action is not taken.

The Muslims Rights Organisation (MRO) also held a protest following Friday prayers.

The protest which started from the Jummah Mosque at Kollupitiya took place a few metres away from the Embassy, on St. Michael’s Road.

The angry protestors burnt an effigy of US President Barack Obama and the U.S. flag.

MRO president Mujibur Rahman who spoke after submitting a petition to the Embassy officials said that if the petition is not considered seriously, more protests will be organised island-wide.

Similar protests took place in Muslim-dominated Sammanthurai and Sainthamaruthu areas in Ampara District on Friday.