Iran Press/ Europe: Batley Grammar School was forced to close its doors as dozens gathered outside the building, outraged by a teacher’s decision to show a cartoon of the Prophet.
Demonstrators, who claim the images were taken from the controversial French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, said they aimed “to show the country Islamophobia won’t be tolerated”, as the image is “so offensive” to them.
One phone shop owner interviewed by the Independent said the teacher's act wasn’t unintentional. “He’s a religious teacher. He knows what’s wrong and right. He should not teach again,” he said.
A 25-year-old whom the news outlet referred to as Tainy said the Prophet is a figure “dearer to us than the air we breathe” and called the teacher “a hate preacher” who is “inciting hatred.”
“We are making our feelings known. This is not okay,” he said.
The teacher was suspended and has since said he regretted his action, while the school has offered an “unequivocal” apology.
Garry Kibble, Batley school’s headteacher, said “we have immediately withdrawn teaching on this part of the course, and we are reviewing how we go forward with the support of all the communities represented in our school.”
The Muslim Council of Britain commended the “swift and unequivocal action taken by the school to address the deep distress caused”, saying the school was “right to acknowledge that the use of such materials – universally understood to be highly offensive to Muslims – is inappropriate”.
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