French imam urges Muslims to protest over Paris attack

AFP Journalists hold placard reading “I am Charlie” as they hold a minute of silence, on January 7, 2015

The imam of one of France’s major cities, Bordeaux, urged Muslims to take to the streets in protest at Wednesday’s deadly attack in Paris by Islamist gunmen, calling it “almost an act of war”.

Imam Tareq Oubrou, a supporter of dialogue between Christians and Muslims, said after meeting Pope Francis that the attack on satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, in which 12 people died, was “tantamount to what September 11 meant to America.”

“With this drama we are seeing almost an act of war,” Oubrou told reporters.

Imam Tareq Oubrou: rallies muslims to protest terrorist attack

He said that though he had always staunchly opposed demonstrations he was now urging “Muslims to massively pour into the streets to express their disgust.”

What happened “is tantamount, relatively speaking, to September 11 in America, it is a monumental quake. A red line was breached that threatens civil peace. Muslims must demonstrate their anger,” he reiterated.

View Comments (7)

  • Nearly 3000 people died in the 9/11 attacks, it may have had a similar motive, and shocked the public, but it wasn't tantamount (equal).

    • a human life has unlimited worth. 1 * infinity = infintiy. 3000 * infinity = still infinity. doesnt matter how many people die, if at least one dies, it's tantamount.

      • you know that is actually written in the holy Islamic book, the Quran?

        It goes something like:
        If you kill one man, it is as if you killed all of mankind. If you save one man, it is as if you saved all of mankind.

        • still huge parts of it teach about killing the non-believers. one of the most hypocritical texts ever. the amount of violence and hate speech in it is inconceivable. why isn't it banned yet ?

  • This attack was definitely a game-changer. I urge all people of the Muslim faith to get out into the streets and show everyone how you feel.

    • They DO get out and show how they feel. There are often rabid, vitriolic, threatening, and violent protests against cartoons and other expressions of free speech that "offend" them. But their protests against violence perpetrated by islamic extremists...crickets.