Innocence of Muslims movie – riots
Innocence of Muslims was a low-budget, US-made film that mocks the Prophet Mohammed. A trailer dubbed into Arabic was posted on YouTube in September 2012 (BBC). The ABC reported that protests against the film had led to more than 50 deaths "since the first demonstrations on September 11". The BBC named Nakoula Basseley Nakoula as the alleged producer. On 7 November 2012 a US judge sentenced him to a year in prison for probation violations linked to an earlier fraud conviction. The BBC noted: "None of the charges was connected with the content of the controversial film".
In Sydney on Saturday 15 September 2012, SBS (citing AAP and police) reported that at about 1pm "an unannounced and unapproved" group gathered at Town Hall and marched towards Martin Place. Fighting broke out with police when the group tried to enter the US consulate in the MLC Centre. Around 300 people then gathered in Hyde Park, where police used capsicum spray. SBS reported banners including "Behead all those who insult the Prophet". Six police were injured, two of whom were taken to hospital, eight people were arrested and at least two police vehicles were damaged (SBS; ABC).
Prime Minister Julia Gillard said: "I absolutely condemn the violence that we saw yesterday" (SMH). Khaled Sukkarieh of the Islamic Council of NSW told the ABC: "Violence is no way an answer to anything and we condemn the violence that's happened". By 24 October 2012, 12 people had been charged (SMH). Mohammed Issaka was jailed in November 2013 with a minimum of six months, for offences including assaulting a police officer (ABC). Former boxer Ahmed Elomar pleaded guilty to hitting an officer over the head with a flag pole and was jailed in June 2014 for four years and eight months, with a minimum of two and a half years (ABC).
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