By IRNA
Tehran : Hundreds of Muslims demonstrated outside the Danish parliament in Copenhagen on Friday to protest against re-publication of a cartoon of the Prophet Mohammed in Danish media last month.
The demonstrators called for their faith and prophet to be respected and carried signs reading “Yes to freedom of expression that does not call for hatred and contempt” and “Why do Danes respect other religions but not Islam?”
At the urging of an imam, some carried out their Friday prayers while others handed out a pamphlet that asked: “Is it Denmark’s and Danes’ best interest for such a conflict to swell up”
“The answer is no,” it said. “Provoking Muslims undermines integration efforts.”
The demonstration, organised by the group “Muslims in Denmark”, was monitored by police and no incidents were reported.
One member of the far-left Unity List party, Frank Aaen, was the only non-Muslim taking part in the action.
Last month, at least 17 Danish dailies reprinted a sacrilegious cartoon of holy prophet of Islam Hazrat Mohammad (SAWA).
The caricature was one of 12 first published in a Danish newspaper in 2005 and which sparked violent protests across the Muslim world in early 2006.
It was reprinted in mid-February after Danish police foiled a plot to kill the cartoonist, again triggering angry reactions in numerous Muslim countries.
Denmark is home to around 200,000 Muslims, representing about 3.5 percent of the population.