Last updated February 23, 2006

The following is a roundup of Muslim countries’ reaction to unflattering cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed that were printed in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten. What began as an assertion of free speech in Denmark deteroriated into violence, and possibly murder, in countries thorughout the Muslim world.

Danish Newspaper Jyllands-Posten Publishes Caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed

The Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten published 12 controversial caricatures of Mohammed, including one with him wearing a turban fashioned in the shape of a bomb ready to explode. Muslims are forbidden from creating images or “idols” of the Prophet, let alone using his image for comedy or satire. The cartoons were initially published in September 2005, and it was not until the end of January 2005, when the cartoons became a major story in the Arab media and were reprinted in newspapers across Europe, that widescale protest erupted in Muslim countries.
More: Cartoon Crisis Chronology from the Journal of Turkish Weekly

Violent Protests at Embassies Across the Middle East, Arab Diplomats Recalled from Denmark

In the ensuing days, a series of protests were held around the Muslim world, many of which quickly deteriorated into violence. Danish embassies were burned to the ground in Syria and Lebanon, as was the Norwegian Embassy in Syria. Protests were also staged in Sudan, Jordan, Iraq, Indonesia, Turkey, and Norway. In Gaza, Palestinian gunmen closed down the European Union office. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia Iran, Syria, and Lybia, among others, recalled their ambassadors from Denmark. Muslim countries also began a widescale boycott of Danish products. In Denmark, Jyllands-Posten had to be evacuated after a bomb scare and the Danish immigration minister’s car was set on fire.

More: Video of Protests in Damascus