Germany mulls ban of public screening of anti-Islam film

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Berlin, Sep 17, IRNA -- German authorities are contemplating a ban on the public screening of an anti-Islam video, Chancellor Angela Merkel told Berlin based media representatives here Monday.

There are good reasons to ban the film as it disrupts public order, however it's up to the relevant authorities to make that decision, Merkel was quoted saying.

The chancellor pointed out that a ban announced by her center-right government on further visits to Germany by Terry Jones, an Islamophobic US Christian pastor who has endorsed the derogatory film, was aimed at limiting public unrest.

Meanwhile, a leading legislator of the co-ruling Christian Democratic party urged earlier in the day a nationwide ban on public screenings of the blasphemous film that has sparked major protests in the Islamic world.

Talking to German television, Wolfgang Bosbach stressed the need for authorities to prevent a right-wing extremist group from a public screening of the video.

"Freedom of speech and freedom of the arts do not have unlimited scope," the domestic affairs expert was quoted saying.

Pro Deutschland, a small Islamophobic group has vowed to show the video.

It had previously distributed anti-Islam cartoons, triggering street protests in several German cities.

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Islamic Republic News Agency/IRNA NewsCode: 1027797