The drawings have added fuel to the protests against US-made anti-Islam film that sparked protests across the Muslim world.
France Interior Minister Manuel Valls said prefects had orders to prohibit any protest and to crack down if the ban was challenged.
“There will be strictly no exceptions. Demonstrations will be banned and broken up,” he told a news conference in the southern port city of Marseille.
Mohammed Moussaoui, head of the French Muslim Council, described both the film and the cartoons as “acts of aggression” but urged French Muslims not to protest in the streets.
“I repeat the council’s call not to protest. Any protest could be hijacked and counterproductive,” he told radio RFI.
Around 8,000 Muslims gathered peacefully for Friday prayers at a temporary prayer hall in northern Paris set up in a former fire department depot.
“This demonstrates that the vast majority of the Muslim community is not made up of extremists,” said Abderahmane Dahmane, spokesman for the local association that runs the prayer hall, one of the largest in the Paris region.
“The majority will not play the game of the hotheads.”
Dear TNT Reader,
At The News Tribe, our mission is to bring you free, independent, and unbiased news and content that keeps you informed and empowered. We are committed to upholding the highest standards of journalism, as we understand that we are a platform for truth.
Apart from independent global news coverage, we also commit our unique focus on the Muslim world. In an age marked by the troubling rise of Islamophobia and widespread misrepresentation of Muslims in Western media, we strive to provide accurate and fair coverage.
But to continue doing so, we need your support. Even a small donation of 1$ can make a big difference. Your contribution will help us maintain the quality of our news and counteract the negative narratives that are so prevalent.
Please consider donating today to ensure we can keep delivering the news that matters. Together, we can make a positive impact on the world, and work towards a more inclusive, informed global society.
Donate Monthly Subscription Annual Subscription