Tunisia bans French cartoon protest
Tunisia’s government has banned any protests planned for tomorrow against a French satirical weekly’s publication of lewd, crude caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed.
Interior Minister Ali Larayedh told Shems FM radio today that authorities sensed that some groups were planning to pillage and carry out violence after weekly communal prayers at mosques.
Yesterday’s publication by Charlie Hebdo has raised concerns that French interests could face violent protests like the ones targeting the United States over an amateur video produced in California.
The government of France – a former colonial ruler in Tunisia – has ordered its embassies and other official sites in about 20 countries across the Muslim world to close tomorrow as a precaution.
Calls to protest in Tunisia against the caricatures have turned up on social media.
