President of France Emmanuel Macron remarks defending cartoons insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) have caused outrage in the Muslim world as it unites and brands Macron as devil. And, now it has triggered a global campaign to boycott French products.
His statement came after a teenager had recently killed a school teacher for displaying the cartoons in a class on freedom of speech.
Earlier, Macron’s statements about “the need to reform Islam” drew reactions from Muslims all over the world.
France has shut down 73 mosques, schools, and workplaces this year. French government’s attitude against Muslims has led to an increase in Islamophobic actions and racist attacks in the country, said Anadolu Agency.
French officials also encouraged the cartoons initially published by Charlie Hebdo.
Campaign boycotting French products in Muslim countries
Many Islamic countries including Turkey condemned France’s Islamophobic actions unanimously. Campaigns boycotting French products are underway on social media. Some countries removed French products off shelves at markets.
French Foreign Ministry panicked as the calls for boycott grew dramatically. Meanwhile, on Sunday, the ministry issued a written statement calling for this boycott to stop.
Top-level reactions from Turkey
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in a speech that Macron’s “Islam in crisis” statement was a clear provocation. He described his expression as “impudence and rudeness”.
Upon Macron’s support for cartoons insulting Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in France, Erdogan criticized Macron and said he needs “mental treatment”.
Organization of Islamic Cooperation
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) called on France to revise its separatist policies that target Islam and offends over one and a half billion Muslims in the world.
“We condemn the constant systematic attack on the feelings of Muslims by insulting the religious symbols represented by the person of the Prophet Muhammad.”
Pakistan Prime Minister Khan warns against Islamophobia
Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan said that Macron by attacking Islam was hurting the feelings of Muslims and encouraging Islamophobia.
Moreover, he said Macron was intentionally provoking Muslims, including his own citizens, by displaying the insulting cartoons.
Reactions from Iran
The French leader’s actions also drew strong reactions from the government and parliament of Iran.
Iran said insults and disrespect toward Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) are unacceptable. It said the French government’s attitude toward Muslims had caused hatred to rise more than ever.
The strongest reaction from Iran came from Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf. He said the evil deed of these dishonorable people reveal their disbelief in Allah and their hostility toward all heavenly religions.
Reactions from Iraq
In Baghdad, a protest rally was taken out on Sunday. Protesters carried posters of Macron crossed in red.
In the protests held in Syria and Yemen, demonstrators carried banners saying, “Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) is our red line.” Posters of Macron were set on fire during the demonstrations.
Protesters in Palestine carry Turkish flag
Protesters in Palestine carried the Turkish flag during demonstrations and burned posters of Macron.
Meanwhile, they carried posters of Turkish President Erdogan, citing his advocacy for Islam and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Palestinians gathered in the province of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank holding banners that read, “Our Prophet is the red line.”
Reactions from Kuwait
Kuwait’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmed Al Nasser Al Sabah, Parliament Speaker Marzouq Ali Thunayan Al-Ghanim and the political wing of the Organization of Muslim Brotherhood (Ikhwan), the Islamic Constitutional Movement Party (HADES) and some of its deputies condemned the statement by Macron and the publication of cartoons insulting Prophet Muhammad.
Moreover, the Union of Consumer Cooperative Society, which has more than 70 retail chains in Kuwait, announced that all French products were removed from their shelves as of Oct. 23.
Qatar & the Gulf
Qatar University announced that it has postponed the French Culture Week indefinitely on the grounds of “deliberate abuse of the religion and symbols of Islam”.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s leading retail chains announced that French products are to be removed from their shelves. Besides, during protests in Bahrain, banners read: “May our lives be sacrificed for you, Messenger of Allah.”
Reactions from Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia said any attempt linking Islam with terrorism will not be tolerated. Meanwhile, Libya, Lebanon, Egypt, and Jordan also condemned the publication of the cartoons. Hundreds of protesters gathered in Tunisia for the boycott of French products with banners that read “Prophet Mohammad is our red line”.
Muslims across the world unite and are hating France President Macron calling him a devil for his anti-Islam comments and he is surely feeling the heat too. So, when is he apologizing?
What do you think of this story? Let us know in the comments section below.
