FRANCE-SHOOTING/ALGERIA-UPDATE Algerian protesters clash with police after anti-Charlie Hebdo march
Record ID:
324376
FRANCE-SHOOTING/ALGERIA-UPDATE Algerian protesters clash with police after anti-Charlie Hebdo march
- Title: FRANCE-SHOOTING/ALGERIA-UPDATE Algerian protesters clash with police after anti-Charlie Hebdo march
- Date: 17th January 2015
- Summary: ALGIERS, ALGERIA (JANUARY 16, 2015) (REUTERS) LARGE CROWD OF PROTESTERS MARCHING ON STREET PROTESTERS CHANTING SLOGANS AND HOLDING PLACARDS, READING (Arabic): "I AM MOHAMMAD" PROTESTERS HOLDING PLACARD, READING (Arabic): "WE LOVE OUR PROPHET MOHAMMAD" PROTESTER CHANTING SLOGANS AND HOLDING PLACARD READING (French and Arabic): "I AM MOHAMMAD" FEMALE PROTESTER HOLDING PLACARD (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ALGERIAN FEMALE PROTESTER, HAMIDA, SAYING: "We don't have to make cartoons about all the prophets. They were all sent to spread peace among people." YOUNG CHILD HOLDING PLACARD, READING (French): "I FOLLOW MOHAMMAD" PROTESTERS HOLDING PLACARD, READING (Arabic): "YES FOR FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION, NO FOR THE TOUCHING OF SANCTITIES" (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ALGERIAN PROTESTER, SALIHA, SAYING: "We renew our pledge of allegiance with the messenger of God. We sacrifice ourselves with you, the messenger of God." PROTESTERS BURNING ISRAELI FLAG, SHOUTING (Arabic): "GOD IS THE GREATEST" (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) ALGERIAN PROTESTER, MUSTAPHA, SAYING: "We went out to denounce what happened on Wednesday, republishing the cartoons that humiliate the Prophet, peace be upon him." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS HOLDING PLACARDS, READING (French): "I AM MOHAMMAD" AND "WE FOLLOW PROPHET MOHAMMAD" PROTESTERS THROWING OBJECTS AT POLICE OFFICERS PROTESTERS PUSHING POLICE, SHOUTING (Arabic): "A PEACEFUL MARCH" POLICE TRYING TO OBSTRUCT PROTESTERS / PROTESTERS OVERCOMING WALL OF POLICE OFFICERS / POLICE TRYING TO STOP PROTESTERS WHO ARE RUNNING AWAY VARIOUS OF LARGE CROWD OF PROTESTERS TRYING TO PUSH THEIR WAY THROUGH LINE OF POLICE OFFICERS NEAR PARLIAMENT BUILDING POLICE OFFICER USING BATON AGAINST PROTESTERS POLICE OFFICERS STANDING ON CORNER OF STREET POLICE OFFICERS RUNNING TOWARDS CROWD OF PROTESTERS ALONG NARROW STREET POLICE OFFICERS WALKING TOWARDS PROTESTERS NEAR WATER CANNON CROWD OF PROTESTERS WALKING TOWARDS POLICE OFFICERS
- Embargoed: 1st February 2015 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Algeria
- Country: Algeria
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA7PA8RIK4UGORCU753XOR92I28
- Story Text: Algerian protesters clashed with police officers on Friday (January 16) at the end of a demonstration against cartoons depicting Islam's Prophet Mohammad published on the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.
Several officers were injured during the violence, with small groups of protesters hurling rocks, fireworks and bottles at the security forces around the waterfront area of the Algerian capital.
Dozens of people were arrested, and two Islamist leaders, Ali Belhadj and Hamadache Zeraoui, were detained for illegally organising a march in Algiers where demonstrations are still banned, a security source said.
Before the clashes broke out protesters, which included women and children, chanted slogans and waved placards reading "I am Mohamed", in reaction to a solidarity message widely used across the world to honour the victims of the Paris attacks, "I am Charlie".
A group of protesters were also seen burning an Israeli flag.
"We don't have to make cartoons about all the prophets. They were all sent to spread peace among people," said protester Hamida.
"We went out to denounce what happened on Wednesday, republishing the cartoons that humiliate the Prophet, peace be upon him," said Mustapha, another protester.
A trio of Islamist gunmen killed 17 people last week in France before they themselves were shot dead in three days of violence that began with an attack on the satirical magazine, long known for its cartoons which lampoon Islam and other religions, political leaders and celebrities.
Charlie Hebdo's first edition since the attack, published on Wednesday (January 14), featured another cartoon of the Prophet Mohammad on its front cover that critics saw as a new provocation.
Two French-born brothers of Algerian origin shot dead staff of the magazine in last week's assault.
Algeria suffered a bloody war with Islamist militants in the 1990s when around 200,000 people were killed during a conflict where whole villages were sometimes massacred and extremists fought to create an Islamic state.
Before the war, Islamist political movements would organise marches of tens of thousands of people to hear speeches in the capital. The army cancelled 1991 elections that the Islamists looked set to win, pushing the country into nearly a decade of conflict. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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