“It was a test for Norwegian society – whether this would be a peaceful protest or not.” All right. But it is also an ongoing test as to whether or not the freedom of speech will survive in Norway and the West in general. And the jury is still out on that.
“2,500 protest Muhammad cartoon in Norway,” from The Associated Press, February 12 (thanks to James):
OSLO — About 2,500 people marched through downtown Oslo in a protest Friday against a Norwegian newspaper that printed a caricature of the Prophet Muhammad.
The demonstrators chanted “God is great” in Arabic and waved placards calling for a boycott of the Dagbladet daily.
On Feb. 3, the newspaper published a photograph showing a man in front of a computer screen with a depiction of Muhammad as a pig. The picture accompanied an article that said users were posting offensive material about Muslims and Jews on the Facebook page of Norway’s security police.
Dagbladet’s acting editor-in-chief, Lars Helle, told The Associated Press that he doesn’t regret printing the offending image and that he welcomed Friday’s protest.
“It was a test for Norwegian society – whether this would be a peaceful protest or not,” Helle said….
“We have done nothing to anybody. We want to live here in peace. Norway is our home. Our children live here. Why should they (Norwegian media) hurt us like this?” said Naradim Muhammad, a 43-year-old school teacher who helped organize the demonstration.
The demonstration was peaceful, except for a firecracker that was apparently thrown by a protester onto a restaurant patio. It caused burn damage to a patio sofa, but nobody was injured. After the blast, organizers ordered the crowd to disperse, encouraging them to go home or to a local mosque to pray.
Police spokesman Joern-Kristian Joergensen said the protest concluded without further incident. However, Oslo police, who maintained a low profile during the demonstration to avoid confrontation, would remain on alert throughout the evening, he said….