NEW DELHI (TIP): Hundreds of demonstrators protesting against the anti-Prophet Muhammad film stormed the diplomatic enclave in Islamabad, Pakistan on Thursday. Authorities were forced to call in the army to control the situation which threatened to escalate into violence. Hotels frequented by foreigners were also attacked by the demonstrators. This was the most violent show of anger in a day that saw smaller demonstrations in Indonesia, Iran and Afghanistan.
The vulgar depiction of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad in an American-made movie has angered Muslims across the world, with many taking to the streets to rally against the film. In recent days, the decision by a French satirical magazine to release cartoons crudely depicting the prophet as added to the tension .Riot police used tear gas and batons to keep stone throwing demonstrators away from the enclave, and hundreds of shipping containers were lined up to cordon off the area. Some protesters were students affiliated with the Islamist hard-line Jamaat-e-Islamic party. The demonstrations are expected to grow in Pakistan on Friday, the traditional day of prayer in the Muslim world. The Pakistani government has called a national holiday for Friday so that people could come out and demonstrate peacefully against the film. That decision drew rare wordsof praise from the Pakistani Taliban, which is usually at war with the government.