Cartoon anger 'over-reaction'

2006-02-13 14:55

London - Britons take a bleak view of relations with the country's Muslim community, almost two thirds believing that tensions between Muslims and other faiths will worsen, a poll in a British newspaper published on Sunday found.

Of those questioned 63% foresaw deteriorating relations, while 80% believed that police and politicians were too tolerant of Muslims urging extreme acts.

Asked about the publication of 12 caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad in a Danish newspaper which were reprinted elsewhere, although not in Britain, 86% thought the Muslim protests were a "gross over-reaction."

The poll, conducted by YouGov for The Sunday Times newspaper, questioned 1 600 people, 58% of whom said they were angered by the sight of Muslim protestors while 67% thought senior policemen were too "politically correct" to deal with Islamic extremists.

Asked whether the cartoons should have published in the British press in the interests of free speech 56% agreed while 29% dissented.

More than a third - 38% - thought that a repetition of the July 7 attacks in London by four suspected suicide bombers which killed 52 commuters was "very likely" while 49% thought it "fairly likely".

- AFP