Protests Against Anti-Islam US Film Rock Kashmir

Srinagar, India, Sept 15, IRNA -- Protests broke out in several parts of Kashmir following Friday prayers against a US made film that denigrates the Holy Prophet of Islam (P). Raising anti-US and anti Israeli slogans protesters took to streets soon after Friday prayers at several places in Srinagar and other major towns. Top leadership of Hurriyat Conference had been placed under house arrest by authorities ahead of the weekly congregational prayers fearing they may lead the protest marches. However people took out processions from Kashmir’s main mosque in Srinagar. Protestors torched the US flag at some places in the city, reports said. The film depicts Prophet Mohammed in poor light and its trailer on YouTube has caused violent protests in Libya, Egypt and Yemen since Tuesday. Earlier, dozens of local lawyers boycotted the courts in the city and carried out a protest march in the capitals main square. A spokesman for the lawyers association told IRNA that an extra ordinary general body meeting of the High Court Bar Association was called in the High Court premises to discuss and adopt a course of action with regard to blasphemous movie. It was decided in the general body meeting that the lawyers of the High court and the lawyers of Lower Court go on a day long strike . The lawyers took out the procession from the Lower court and they were led by Bar President Zaffar Qureshi. Prominant Kashmiri lawyers Mian Abdul Qayum and Zaffar Ahmad Shah also joined the protests. A peaceful protest rally was held at the University of Kashmir against the blasphemous film this afternoon. Protests started soon after the Friday prayers and a large gathering of students started marching in the campus shouting slogans “Down With America” and “Super Power One Allah La Ilaha Illalah” Many student speakers condemned the shameful act and West’s war on Islam. The students reiterated their allegiance to Muslim unity and called the Muslims to unite and resist the anti-Islamic moves of the Western powers. The protest rally started from the University Mosque and dispersed peacefully at the same place after marching through the entire campus. As the rally reached near Allama Iqbal Library, the students trampled upon a large American flag before finally setting it alight. “The students call upon the Muslim ruler’s of the world to shun their boot-licking of the Zionists and the West and stand up against the American slavery and oppression in order to give a befitting response to the insults hurled on the noble name of Prophet”, a university students union statement said. A banner held by a student during the protest read, “Arab countries cut off oil supply to the West”. The students also paid tributes to the 17 innocent Kashmiri civilians martyred on 13 of September 2010 while protesting against the desecration of the Quran in US. In Srinagar’s Maisuma locality leaders from different Muslim groups denounced the US and Zionist regime for spreading canards against Islam and provoking Muslims. Agha Syed Abdul Hussain, a senior Shia leader as a mark of solidarity offered Friday prayers at Ahli-Hadees Grand Mosque there and later joined the protests against the US film. All senior pro-independence leaders - among them Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, Muhammad Yasin Malik, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Maulana Muhammad Abbas Ansari and Agha Syed Hassan al Mosavi - were placed under house arrest by the authorities as a preventive measure. Reports from north Kashmir's Baramulla town said that people gathered in the town square after Friday prayers to protest the blasphemous film. Heavy deployment of police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) had been made at sensitive places by the authorities as separatists called for protests and rallies after Friday prayers./end