Muslims still protesting against Koran burning in US

In Iran, Afghanistan and India, demonstrators accuse US, Israel of "orchestrating Zionist plot," chant "Down with Koran desecrators."

By JPOST.COM STAFF, AP
afghanistan protest 311 (photo credit: AP)
afghanistan protest 311
(photo credit: AP)
Thousands of Iranians reportedly took to the streets on Wednesday, to protest Koran burning in the US. According to PressTV, the protesters gathered at Teheran's Palestine Square, and shouted slogans accusing both the US and Israel of "orchestrating the Zionist plot."
Placards held by the demonstrators urged Jews and Christians to promise that such acts would not be repeated.
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In Afghanistan, meanwhile, police fired warning shots to disperse hundreds of stone-hurling protestors in the latest in a series of protests against Koran burning in the US.
At least 35 police officers and 10 protesters were wounded on Wednesday, said Interior Ministry spokesman Zemarai Bashary. Hospital officials said two of them had gunshot wounds. They appeared to be from ricocheting bullets.
The topic of Koran burning has stirred outrage among millions of Muslims and others worldwide after a small American church in Florida threatened to destroy the holy book to mark the anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks. Although that church backed down, several copycat burnings were posted on the Internet and broadcast in the Muslim world.
Up to 800 protesters gathered at a square on the outskirts of the capital, Kabul, chanting "Death to America" and listening to fiery speeches from Muslim clerics demanding the ouster of the Afghan government and calling for foreign troops to leave the country.
The protesters burned tires and hurled stones at police officers, who responded with assault rifle firing into the air.
In India the Koran issue also resurfaced Wednesday, when thousands of protesters assembled close to a Christian school in the town of Mendhar, 115 miles (180 kilometers) southwest of Srinagar, Indian Kashmir's main city, chanting "Down with Koran desecrators" and "We want freedom."
Police fired tear gas and swung batons as the protesters tried to enter the school and used live ammunition when the crowd refused to disperse, said a police officer who spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to talk to reporters. At least four protesters were killed and 30 others wounded, six of them critically, he said.