Muslims rally against paper that published prophet cartoon

Scores of Muslims staged a demonstration today against a Swedish newspaper and demanded that its chief editor apologise for publishing a drawing depicting the Prophet Mohammed with a dog’s body.

The rally outside the Nerikes Allehanda newspaper in Orebro followed formal protests by Iran and Pakistan in a brewing conflict over the controversial cartoon made by Swedish artist Lars Vilks.

Sweden’s prime minister called for mutual respect between Muslims, Christians and nonreligious groups in an apparent attempt to avert a wider conflict.

Islamic law is interpreted to forbid any depiction of the prophet for fear it could lead to idolatry.

About 300 people rallied outside the newspaper’s offices, demanding and apology and saying the cartoon, a rough sketch showing Mohammed’s head on a dog’s body, was insulting to Muslims, news agency TT reported.

Nerikes Allehanda editor-in-chief Ulf Johansson met with the leader of the demonstration, but refused to apologise for the cartoon, which was part of August 19 editorial criticising several Swedish art galleries for refusing to display a series of prophet drawings by Vilks.