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Cape protest: Not the last...
09/02/2006 22:38 - (SA)
Johannes de Villiers, Die Burger
Cape Town - It's not the end of their battle, said Muslim leaders after a protest march against Danish cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.
But, for now, they were satisfied that the march was a huge success.
In one of the biggest protest marches Cape Town has seen, a singing crowd moved from Kaizergracht, past the Good Hope Centre, filled up Hertzog Boulevard, the lower part of Adderley Street and Darling Street.
The Muslim Judicial Council estimated there were about 60 000 protestors, while spectators put the figure at about 30 000.
Although riot police were present and the MJC cautioned against the burning of flags at the beginning of the protest - "the whole world is watching and expecting violence" - the march proceeded peacefully.
Sheik Ebrahim Gabriels, MJC president, said before the march: "Somebody who offends the Prophet Mohammad will receive severe punishment in the hereafter.
Arabic slogans
"We consider today as one of the biggest days of our lives, because we are here for our beloved prophet.
We want to tell the non-Muslim world: we love our children, our parents and neighbours, but above all we love our prophet."
On the way to the city hall, where a memorandum was handed to Danish ambassador Torben Brylle, many protestors waved flags of the Palestinian group Hamas, as well as posters and flags with Arabic slogans.
People in wheelchairs and families with babies in prams also were present.
Some of the posters read:
"To hell with freedom of speech. This is hate speech. Long live Iran's nuclear program."
"With our blood and souls we will sacrifice ourselves for you."
"The biggest myths of our time: the Holocaust, Israel, democracy, freedom."
"Denmark: Why no Holocaust cartoon?"
"We love our Prophet." and
"My Prophet is my Idol."
When they reached the end of the route in Darling Street, the MJC leaders kept shouting into the microphone: "Down with Denmark, Down with Denmark," while the crowd answered in Arabic: "God is great".
- Die Burger
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