British Muslims Join In the Protests Against the Knighthood of Salman Rushdie

”This honour will have ramifications here and across the Muslim world”, said Anjem Choudray, protest organiser and former head of the banned radical group, Al-Muhajiroun

MAIL & GUARDIAN ONLINE (SOUTH AFRICA): Muslims angered by Britain's decision to honour author Salman Rushdie with a knighthood were rallying in London on Friday, warning that anger over the award could match the fierce reaction to publication of cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad in Denmark last year.

Organisers of a protest outside Regent's Park Mosque in London claimed several hundred demonstrators planned to denounce the decision to reward Rushdie, whose novel The Satanic Verses led to a death threat from Iran in 1989.

"This knighthood is just another example of [British Prime Minister] Tony Blair and his government's attempts to secularise Muslims and reward apostates," said Anjem Choudray, protest organiser and a former head of the British wing of the banned radical group al-Muhajiroun.

"Rushdie is a hate figure across the Muslim world because of his insults to Islam," Choudray said. "This honour will have ramifications here and across the world" just as with the protests over the Danish cartoon. British Muslims join in global Rushdie protests (more)

Mark Alexander