Agitators damage doors, glass panels of security chamber
A protest against controversial American film Innocence of Muslims turned violent on Friday, when the U.S. Consulate-General on Anna Salai in Chennai was attacked by hundreds of protesters, who breached police security cordon with ease.
A crowd of 1,500 people from the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam and a few other Muslim outfits targeted the mission. They pelted it with stones, burnt the American flag and pictures of President Barack Obama and damaged CCTV cameras, a police booth and instruction boards for visitors.
In a pre-announced agitation around 4.30 p.m., a large group, raising anti-U.S. slogans, marched from outside New College in Royapettah towards the Consulate. Consulate security personnel shut the doors to bar their entry. Iron railings and paintings on the building’s compound wall were ruined.
A small group tried to scale the consulate’s wall on Cathedral Road and damaged the doors and glass panels of the security chamber.
A large posse of police, led by Additional Commissioner of Police, L & O (in-charge) Sanjay Arora, reached the spot and cleared the agitators at 5.30 p.m.
Though all religions do not differ much form one another on basic ideologies, the followers have zero tolerance to respect the Faiths of
each other; because, each has a dose of some unbelievable and
unacceptable glorifications and those are the highly inflammable points
which if wantonly kindled, ignite the demonic rage inside the man to
well up and spew out of control. That is what is happening every time
when some irresponsible and thoughtless people tread on the forbidden
paths inside the religions, much to the sufferings of the humanity.
How many protesters have really watched the film?
Prophet Muhammad taught his followers a language of love, and not of the
violence. Prophet never acted like this in his entire ife in any adverse
circumstances. If he would have been alive today, he himself would have
felt annoyed to see these kind of violenct protests. Hurting the
sentiments of any community should be condemned, but not this way.We
should understand that the every stone being thrown, do not damage the
building but the teachings of Prophet Muhammad.
Is the Govt of U.S. doing anything to stop these kind of derailing of
religions and the Symbols of Religions?? If it is free speech and
freedom of expression that is granted to abuse others and their
sentiments, this is what comes as a price to be paid. And do note that
the protest was not against the US alone but against Google and YouTube too. Let the Govt of US/other countries hold Google
responsible for its adamant policy of not taking the video down and
whatever damage it had cost.
I am not supporting the violence and/or its related deaths, and I
condemn the same, but, insisting that disrespect is something not
always paid back in equal terms and might spill to any extent. Hoping
the People of Wisdom would certainly agree with me. Reiterating:
Freedom to propagate religion does not mean demeaning other's
religion.
Well, events like these again and again demonstrate how 'civilized' and 'developed' is our nation, the largest democracy in the world.
US Government is not involved in making this movie in any way.
Why do trouble makers always have a political agenda? We need to
identify the people destroying the property and book them.
The US embassy has helped us when we were in trouble. The
people were gracious and quick to see us out of trouble and answered all
our questions. They are there to help. These people need to park
themselves outside the Egyptian embassy since it was an Egyptian who
made the film.
India should not be made a ground for such protests: neither Govt. of
India nor its citizens are responsible for this film, so this act is
really condemnable.
The incidents are unfortunate including the killing of Ambassdor and
other innocent people by terrorist bombings. But the acts leading to
world wide resentment should not be overlooked.
US is not responsible for the acts of a filmmaker. There is no reason to attack the
consulate. In a democracy, people are encouraged to express themselves and sometimes
some cross the line of decency.
Sheer craziness! What is the point of attacking the Consulate,
especially when India has banned the film?
Are the people so badly informed that they do not still know the USA has distanced itself from this film made by one of its citizens? Secretary of State Hilary Clinton has gone far enough to state the USA has nothing to do with this film. What more can a country do about a mere expression of one of its citizens? Could the whole of India be responsible for any of its artist's works?
How is the US involved in all of this? Some Egyptian origin person has made some stupid video which Google and Youtube has helped spread. So why are these people protesting against the US embassy?
They do not understand that their reaction is putting in danger so many Muslims in the US, especially immigrants from the Middle East, India and Pakistan who are leading a peaceful life in the US.
Violence for nonsense movie. Is this what we should be doing? Had we done any agitation in a non-violence fashion like fasting or something else, it would have been a double slap for the film makers.
Violence - Poor idea
There was no need for TMMK to protest in Chennai. For TMMK, a political party with
religious affiliation, it could be an event to get attention.
India is a secular country.That is what the Congress has played the vote politics in our country. But to attack and damage peoperties of any kind is a crime. When the United States of America has come out unequivocally seperated itself from the action of few mischief makers in their country regarding the film insulting Prophet Mohammad,why would anybody attack US Consulate in India?
When the U.S government has nothing to do with this film why they
protest before the Consulate and indulge in violence.Why were they permitted to reach the Consulate?
The strictest action possible under the law should be taken against
these vandals and thugs. Whatever happened to Gandhiji's "Atithi Devo
Bhav"?
One wonders what kind of people would resort to such atrocious acts in
response to an inane video clip.
Such protests should not be allowed. Some fringe guy creates an obscure video in
some part of the world and people who may not have even seen the video go on a
rampage.
Perhaps what had happened (hurting religious feelings of some sect) was
wrong, if not criminal. But in what way is Obama or the US responsible for that? Agitation is
another kind of emotion, I agree, but, when we need to express, it needs to be
directed appropriately. India is a country where hindus, muslims, and christians in concordance.
Chennai!?!?
It is just sad that the Muslims in India choose to react this way. India is way more secular than these 1,500 agitators. I remember the number of folks who came to the defense of Hussain's Saraswathi pictures. Intolerance is rearing its ugly head again.
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