More from the same article:

"In 2006, a Berlin opera house caused a storm in Germany when it cancelled a production of Mozart's "Idomeneo" which showed the Prophet Mohammad's severed head, citing security fears.

And this month, Danish newspapers reprinted cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad which caused outrage in Islamic countries and sparked violent protests across the globe two years ago."

Posted by: Hugh at February 29, 2008 6:45 AM

A previous article on the theme of Islam and Western (unacceptable) art:

Fitzgerald: Who will save the monuments?

Jihad Watch Board Vice President Hugh Fitzgerald discusses the threat to Western art posed by the Islamization of Europe:

"Already statues have been vandalized by Muslims in public places, and in churches, in both France and Italy. The destruction of the monuments and artifacts and hence part of the histories of Infidels, that so many Christians, Jews, Zoroastrians, Hindus, and Buddhists in the Middle East, in North Africa, in the Balkans and southeastern Europe, in Central Asia and Hindustan and in southeast Asia know well, now has come to Western Europe. What will happen in Italy, where every street corner in Rome has something that could be damaged by determined Muslims? What will happen to the churches, to the frescoes (including that which Muslims have been taped planning to destroy in Bologna), to the paintings in the Louvre, the Prado, the National Gallery, the Rijksmuseum, the Alte Pinakothek, the Uffizi? Has any organized association of museum curators, or of art scholars, even dared to think of organizing a conference on the protection of art in Europe, and the prohibitions of Islam against sculpture of all kinds, against paintings of living creatures?
Is anyone at all thinking about this, and contacting others? What about Philippe de Montebello or J. Carter Brown or Anne d'Harnoncourt or any other museum directors or retired directors, or any celebrated collectors, or those who already belong to such groups as Save Venice or Save Florence or FAI or Save Art here and there and everywhere? What about those who fund foundations that will pay to rescue Roman mosaics from the rising man-made floods that covered Zeugma, or the Temples near Aswan, but have a new kind of inundation to deal with, the flood-tide of Islam's adherents, who to the extent that they take their Islam seriously, can only threaten Western art, as they once not only threatened, but managed to destroy, so much of Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, Greco-Bactrian monuments, stupas, manuscripts, temples, artifacts, to erase, or to appropriate as their own, the signs and symbols of anything pre-Islamic or non-Islamic?

This matter cannot wait. Raising the matter publicly, noisily, so that everyone is made aware of the problem, so that Muslims themselves (the same ones who pretended to be outraged by the destruction of the Bamiyan Buddhas but in truth helped the Taliban, as those Pakistani and Saudi engineers did, and were secretly pleased at the result) are put on the defensive, and forced either to admit to or to change their ways.
Raising the issue will offend Muslims -- or at least, many will feign indignation. But why? The issue is real. The prohibition is real. Any Muslim can find it in Qaradawi's handy guide to what is halal and what haram. Any Muslim can read what the Egyptian Grand Muft said recently about this. Muslims have been acting on those prohibitions for 1350 years. Now they exist, in large numbers, within the Lands of the Infidels, the Bilad al-kufr. This poses many problems for Infidels, their laws, customs, understandings, political and social institutions, physical security -- and for their artistic heritage, the heritage that, supposedly, belongs to everyone.

Time to bring it all out into the open. Who will be brave enough to discuss it? If not the heads of American or European museums (who, for all I know, are eager to obtain Arab money for some pathetic "Islamic art" wing and as craven in their pursuit of such money, and hence in their willingness to remain silent on all sorts of questions, as college and university presidents whose every statement is cleared with the Development Office, that beating heart of the modern university) then who?

It could be one of those scholars grateful for the training he received, perhaps at the Warburg or at the Courtauld, in the days when that instruction would have been given by some unforgettable, irreplaceable Jewish refugee from another totalitarian belief-system, that which ruled Germany and almost wrecked European civilization.

There is one celebrated art historian whose clashes with the Belle Arti in Italy have been based not on any deliberate damage inflicted, but rather on the unintentional damage that may have been caused by well-intentioned cleaning that may have removed what the artists in question (Michelangelo, Jacopo della Quercia) foresaw, and intended to be, the pleasing effects created by the patina of time on the Sistine Chapel, on the giant statue of Ilaria del Carretto in Lucca.

So perhaps someone will kindly pass on this suggestion to Professor James Beck of Columbia. He would at once grasp the gravity of the problem that large numbers of Islam's adherents, now in Western Europe, pose to our civilization and its artifacts, as the behavior of Muslims who conquered initially through the sword, and completed their dominance through demographic conquest demonstrates.

And as the boys from the Belle Arti, and some Japanese businessmen who were awarded proprietary rights in the Cappella Sistina reproductions have discovered to their own great dismay, nothing and nobody intimidates James Beck."

[Posted by Hugh at June 14, 2006]

Posted by: Hugh at February 29, 2008 6:49 AM

To be fair, in the climate of multiculturalism that has been undemocratically forced on the West it isn't just Muslims who threaten violence to successfully deny artistic expression.

Here is an example of violent Sikhs causing a play to be cancelled in the UK.

Posted by: watling at February 29, 2008 7:13 AM

watling

True, but all that needs to be done to stop this sort of thing is to put the "protesters" on the first available plane to their cultural homeland.

Posted by: Fred at February 29, 2008 7:59 AM

Since the kaaba up close resembles nothing more than a giant vulva, I fail to see how they can get offended over a mere image of the thing.

http://www.sacred-destinations.com/saudi-arabia/mecca-kaba.htm

Any chance of seeing a picture of the offending poster anywhere?

Posted by: ImNoDhimmi at February 29, 2008 8:49 AM

Next time Muslim yoots like this show up they need to be met by GSG9 as soon as they set foot on the property and then and there have the rules of engagement explained to them ... at the muzzles of HK MP5's and Walther P99's.

Posted by: undaunted at February 29, 2008 9:19 AM

Here is a picture of the poster:

(German article)

http://www.ksta.de/html/artikel/1204178941703.shtml

Click to enlarge. Supposedly some of the Muslims around the Kaaba have thinking-bubbles saying "ZOG".

Posted by: buraq_is_dead at February 29, 2008 9:30 AM

Its a giant rock !

Well, I never knew that !

Posted by: ericthekuffar at February 29, 2008 9:36 AM

I take that back, its not a giant rock. Its a picture of a giant rock in a sort of burqua thingy.

I can easily see how this could upset certain people.

Posted by: ericthekuffar at February 29, 2008 9:41 AM

Why are they kissing it ?

Posted by: ericthekuffar at February 29, 2008 9:43 AM

Um, because they're pagans?

Posted by: undaunted at February 29, 2008 10:19 AM

In this day and age some throwbacks are worried about a rock's feelings?

Posted by: Dumbo at February 29, 2008 10:23 AM

These throwbacks are already ruling the world.
They say "jump" and the West says "how high?"
Sickening

Posted by: interestinconundrum at February 29, 2008 10:31 AM

CCTV + Courtroom Appearance = 6 Months in Prison

Posted by: Celsius at February 29, 2008 11:46 AM

It's about time some Western artists stepped up to the plate on this issue. This is a very serious issue, like most of them raised here at Jihad Watch, and since I am in the arts myself, a humble painter in Washington, DC, I know that few artists are tackling the Islamic problem with anything more than total silence.

In fact, just the opposite position rules. 95% of the art being created today in this most political of cities, and I speak from the underground art movement, is frivolous and redundant, lost in fairy tales and harmless charm, and anything remotely "controversial" and it's not anymore because how many times can Christianity or homophobia or the president be attacked in the generic way that artists depict their hyperventilated disgust with religion, sexual mores, or politics, and it still be new, iconoclastic, or controversial? But with all the world in flames and blood, hovering at the brink of financial crisis, most of the "ruthless honesty" work is anti-American at worst, anti-war (lofty) at best, and nothing is ever presented that even hints of global incrimination due the jihadists and their copious allies in shepherd's clothing.

But what can be expected otherwise? The art world, unlike the more recently abducted halls of lower and higher education, has long been the high-browed bastion of the liberal cognoscente, and today's system of wine-tasting galleries and its stiltifying air of mass dementia is now vigorously geared to the Left.

Scandal is often the fast track in the whirl to "make" an artist, but history probably proves that this model holds only if breaking "preferred" molds.

Let's hope Berlin doesn't bend knee to this Islamic thuggery. It will only encourage more outrage. Don't we all deserve better than this?

Posted by: DunawayKa at February 29, 2008 11:58 AM

This isn't the first time that Surrend has pricked Islamist sensibilities. In response to the original Motoons kerfuffle, it took out an advert in Iran's English-language newspaper Tehran Times.

The half-page advert, from a group calling itself "Danes for World Peace," had claimed to want to show their solidarity with Iran and to make amends for the publication of the Muhammad cartoons.

Beneath a photo of Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the advert made the following sympathetic statements:

Support his fight against Bush
We are also tired of Bush
Iran has the right to produce nuclear energy
No US aggression against any country
Evil US military stay home

Typical Western dhimmitude, you may think. Until you look more closely at the first letter of each statement...

The ad is at the link below:

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=53494

Posted by: Matamoros at February 29, 2008 12:13 PM

Lately I have been wanting a website or virtual gallery that one can post works of art relating to the conflict between the west and islam. Even going so far as to depict their leader Mohammed on the site.
Since museums are being threatened and staff in jitters, wouldn't it be great to have such a site?
If anyone is in favor and would like to admit works post a message to maunalioart@aol.com
I am not sure how to go about creating such a site and would like any suggestions.

Posted by: moutainhorse at February 29, 2008 12:47 PM

Germany and other European countries should start by deporting people who attempt to attempt to intimidate those who exercise freedom of speech, whether or not the threat is carried out. There should be a "no tolerance" policy in that regard.

Posted by: Karl2 at February 29, 2008 3:13 PM

A those brave daring iconoclasts of the art world, speaking truth to power.

My butt!

Posted by: joeblough at February 29, 2008 4:54 PM

Here's the link to the story in Spiegel Online:

http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/gesellschaft/0,1518,538683,00.html

My remedy would be to remove the "Stone of contention" via a well-placed nuclear blast.

I am tired of these stone-age rabble rampaging in Europe.

They need to be arrested for making terrorist threats.. long prison sentences first, then tag them with a microchip to prevent re-entry into Europe and GOOD BYE..

Back home to Najistan!

So much for the "new art Capital" Berlin.

Posted by: Allah Schmallah at February 29, 2008 6:01 PM

Here's the link to the story in Spiegel Online:

http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/gesellschaft/0,1518,538683,00.html

My remedy would be to remove the "Stone of contention" via a well-placed nuclear blast.

I am tired of these stone-age rabble rampaging in Europe.

They need to be arrested for making terrorist threats.. long prison sentences first, then tag them with a microchip to prevent re-entry into Europe and GOOD BYE..

Back home to Najistan!

So much for the "new art Capital" Berlin.

Posted by: Allah Schmallah at February 29, 2008 6:02 PM

Here's the link to the story in Spiegel Online:

http://www.spiegel.de/kultur/gesellschaft/0,1518,538683,00.html

My remedy would be to remove the "Stone of contention" via a well-placed nuclear blast.

I am tired of these stone-age rabble rampaging in Europe.

They need to be arrested for making terrorist threats.. long prison sentences first, then tag them with a microchip to prevent re-entry into Europe and GOOD BYE..

Back home to Najistan!

So much for the "new art Capital" Berlin.

Posted by: Allah Schmallah at February 29, 2008 6:28 PM

Sorry for the double post. I encountered "internal server error 500".

My apologies for giving your server the hiccups.

Posted by: Allah Schmallah at February 29, 2008 6:38 PM

It's a rock. In fact, it's a pagan rock, worshiped long before Mohammed was a gleam in his dad's eye. Are German's gutless? When people come along and invade your art gallery and cause a ruckus - Call the police! Hint: it's called "disturbing the peace".

Posted by: tanstaafl at February 29, 2008 6:58 PM

here is the link to the poster in question

http://www.spiegel.de/img/0,1020,1111103,00.jpg

Posted by: pak152 at February 29, 2008 10:29 PM

Allah Shmallah, um can't you see the irony in your (triple) statement? One moment you suggest a terrorist attack on the kaaba, then next you want terrorist threats punished. The latter I agree with, of course.

Posted by: Lili at February 29, 2008 11:22 PM

"My remedy would be to remove the "Stone of contention" via a well-placed nuclear blast."

That would be overkill. One doesn't need a nuke to destroy a rock & structure the size of a small building.

Posted by: cantor at March 1, 2008 4:10 AM

Danish national television gave this extensive coverage yesterday and today. Including asking the pertinent question:

"Why do only Muslims get violently offended?"

Posted by: Henrik at March 1, 2008 4:10 PM

"Now this is a COMPLETELY NEW demand and one even less grounded in Islam" -- a person's interpretation quoted in the "Update" above.

I can hardly see how the bellicose indignation at anybody insulting the Ka'aba is NOT firmly, centrally, and inveterately grounded in Islam. Islam is not merely that which can be pinpointed in a text; it is also a psychosocially cohesive system in which factors in the atmospherics are every bit as important and galvanic for intolerance & violence as is the culture of slavish inerrancy that is also an important constituent in the warp & woof of Islam's wonderfully diverse tapestry.

Posted by: cantor at March 1, 2008 4:45 PM

Yet again.

Posted by: DukeOrange at March 3, 2008 3:24 AM