 More than 300 Lebanese students raised 57 flags representing the Arab states in front of UNIFIL headquarters in Naqoura on Tuesday to denounce the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad published in Danish, Norwegian and French newspapers. Protestors also held banners calling for a boycott of Danish, French and Norwegian goods, as well as posters calling on French President Jacques Chirac to apologize to Muslims. UNIFIL's French battalion adopted pre-emptive measures, closing down all entry points to the headquarters and began patrols of the area. One protester handed Colonel Jacques Leulle a letter and bouquet of flowers to be passed on to UN Secretary General Kofi Annan. Another protester shouted: "We are not against you but you must condemn these acts."
In the letter, the students said they "respect all religions and believe in all prophets, and therefore refuse any offense against man's beliefs by virtue of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights." The students called for a law that would prohibit the insult of religious symbols.
| A blasphemy law. Like Pakistan has. |
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