Charlie Hebdo protesters storm Christian boys' school in Bannu
Four students were slightly hurt in incident when 200-300 protesters entered the school, demanding for it to shut down
PHOTO: AFP
PESHAWAR:
Hundreds of students protesting against a French magazine for publishing cartoons of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) stormed a Christian boys' school demanding it close, officials and police said Tuesday.
Four students were slightly hurt in the incident in which took place in Bannu on Monday, which happened as students from local colleges and schools demonstrated against the cartoons printed in French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.
"A group of some 200 to 300 protesting students entered Panel High School after jumping its outer walls and forcibly opened the gates," school principal Fredrick Farhan Das told AFP.
He said the students who wanted the school to be shut damaged the property and smashed windows.
"This caused kind of a stampede, which slightly injured four students," Das said.
He said the school remained closed on Tuesday in protest against the incident and will re-open on Wednesday.
District police officer Abdul Rashid Khan confirmed the incident but said it was not thought to be an anti-Christian attack.
Two gunmen stormed the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo earlier this month, killing 12 people.
Under the country’s strict blasphemy laws, insulting Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) can carry the death penalty, and the country's prime minister and parliament have strongly condemned the publication of the cartoons.
At least three people were injured on January 16 when protesters and police clashed at an anti-Charlie Hebdo demonstration outside the French consulate in Karachi.
Hundreds of students protesting against a French magazine for publishing cartoons of Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) stormed a Christian boys' school demanding it close, officials and police said Tuesday.
Four students were slightly hurt in the incident in which took place in Bannu on Monday, which happened as students from local colleges and schools demonstrated against the cartoons printed in French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo.
"A group of some 200 to 300 protesting students entered Panel High School after jumping its outer walls and forcibly opened the gates," school principal Fredrick Farhan Das told AFP.
He said the students who wanted the school to be shut damaged the property and smashed windows.
"This caused kind of a stampede, which slightly injured four students," Das said.
He said the school remained closed on Tuesday in protest against the incident and will re-open on Wednesday.
District police officer Abdul Rashid Khan confirmed the incident but said it was not thought to be an anti-Christian attack.
Two gunmen stormed the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo earlier this month, killing 12 people.
Under the country’s strict blasphemy laws, insulting Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) can carry the death penalty, and the country's prime minister and parliament have strongly condemned the publication of the cartoons.
At least three people were injured on January 16 when protesters and police clashed at an anti-Charlie Hebdo demonstration outside the French consulate in Karachi.