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‘South Park’ Creators Draw Radical Muslim Ire | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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LOS ANGELES, (AP) — A radical US Muslim group called for protests against the creators of satirical cartoon “South Park” after the show’s depiction of the Prophet Mohammed in a recent episode.

The New York-based Revolution Muslim group on Wednesday issued a “call to protest,” after long-running cable television show “South Park” portrayed the Prophet wearing a bear costume, CNN reported.

The website was largely unavailable Wednesday but a CNN report said the statement was posted alongside a graphic photo of slain Dutch filmmaker Theo van Gogh, who was murdered by a Muslim extremist in Amsterdam in 2004.

The statement posted the address of “South Park” creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker’s Los Angeles production offices, CNN reported.

“We have to warn Matt and Trey that what they are doing is stupid and they will probably wind up like Theo van Gogh for airing this show,” the group said. “This is not a threat, but a warning of the reality that will likely happen to them.”

A spokesman for the group denied the statement was an incitement to violence.

“Revolution Muslim only wants those offended to be able to voice their opposition by letters to the show’s creators,” a spokesman told CNN.

“South Park,” which follows the surreal and often profane adventures of four schoolchildren in a fictitious Colorado town, has regularly lampooned religions during its 13 years on the air.

Cartoon depictions of the Prophet Mohammed in Scandinavian media outlets in recent years have led to violence and plots to murder those responsible.

In 2005, Danish newspaper Jyllands Posten published 12 drawings focused on Islam, several of which were seen as linking the religion and the Prophet Mohammed to modern terrorism and suicide bombings.

The cartoons led to angry protests by Muslims worldwide, leaving dozens of people dead and causing major damage to Danish embassies and other facilities.