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Protesters Prevent Cartoonist Vilks From Completing Talk On Art and Free Speech at Uppsala University

By Howard M. Friedman

The Swedish cartoonist Lars Vilks was prevented by protesters from completing a lecture on art and free speech at Sweden's Uppsala University yesterday. Vilks' 2007 depiction of the head of the Prophet Muhammad on the body of a dog resulted in protests and death threats. (See prior posting.) In March, a U.S. woman was indicted for conspiracy to kill Vilks. CNN reports that at Uppsala, five audience members began protesting loudly before Vilks started his talk to the philosophy department. Police calmed the protesters, but as Vilks showed a film with sexual content, particularly a photo of naked gay men wearing masks representing the Prophet Muhammad, 15 to 20 members of the audience became loud and tried to attack him. (Tundra Tabloid). Vilks was taken by police to a nearby room for protection, and did not return to finish his talk. Sweden's The Local reports that three suspects have been arrested in the incident, but were then released.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on May 12, 2010 (boomark / email).