Syrian Protestors Torch Danish, Norwegian Embassies

Young Danes hold a banner reading 'Sorry' to the Muslim world on 1 February. (epa) 4 February 2006 -- Demonstrators stormed the Danish and Norwegian embassies in the Syrian capital Damascus today, setting fire to both buildings to protest what they consider offensive caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad.

The demonstrators first set fire to the Danish Embassy. Police tried to prevent the protestors from attacking the Norwegian Embassy by firing tear gas and water cannons. However, they were unable to prevent protesters breaking through police barriers.

No injuries are reported. No embassy staff were on duty, it is believed.

The Danish Embassy also houses the diplomatic missions of Sweden and Chile.

The Danish Foreign Ministry later issued a statement advising Danish citizens to leave Syria without delay. There was no immediate word from the other foreign diplomatic missions.

Publication of the cartoons, first by a Danish newspaper and later by others across Europe, has sparked protests across much of the Islamic world.

(AFP, Reuters, AP)

Clash Of Cultures

Clash Of Cultures

Indian-born writer Salman Rushdie (epa file photo)

The furor raised by the publication in Europe of cartoons believed by many Muslims to be insulting to Islam is far from being the first time that Western notions of freedom of expression have clashed with Islamic sensibilities. Below are a few of the major incidents in this long-running tension.

2005: London's Tate Britain museum removes from exhibition the "God Is Great #2" sculpture by John Latham for fear of offending Muslims, citing the "sensitive climate" after 7 July suicide bombings in London. The sculpture piece consists of three sacred religious texts -- the Koran, the Bible, and the Talmud -- embedded in a sheet of glass.

2004: Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh is murdered after release of his film "Submission" about violence against women in Islamic societies. Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a Somali-born member of Dutch parliament who wrote script, plans another film about Islam's attitude to gays. She has also received death threats.

2002: Nigerian journalist Isioma Daniel incenses Muslims by writing in "This Day" newspaper that Prophet Muhammad would have approved of the "Miss World" contest and might have wed a beauty queen. Muslim-Christian riots in northern city of Kaduna kill 200. Daniel flees Nigeria after a fatwa urges Muslims to kill her.

1995: An Egyptian court brands academic Nasr Hamed Abu Zaid an apostate because of his writings on Islam and annuls his marriage on grounds that a Muslim may not be married to an apostate. Abu Zaid and his wife move to the Netherlands.

1994: Taslima Nasreen flees Bangladesh for Sweden after court charges her with "maliciously hurting Muslim religious sentiments." Some Muslims demand she be killed for her book "Lajja" (Shame), banned for blasphemy and suggesting free sex.

1989: Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini calls on all Muslims to kill British author Salman Rushdie for blasphemy against Islam in his book "The Satanic Verses."

(compiled by RFE/RL)

See also:

Dutch Immigration -- The Death Of Multiculturalism

Report Says No Anti-Muslim Backlash In Europe

Vienna Conference Ends With Appeals For Understanding, Tolerance

A thematic webpage devoted to issues of religious tolerance in RFE/RL's broadcast region and around the globe.