FRANCE TAKES PRECAUTIONS

Submitted by ub on

The government of France has stepped up security at its embassies in 20 countries countries where there could be a hostile reaction to a French magazine's publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed.

This publication comes amid widespread outrage over a crude, provocative film, made by anti-Islam campaigners here in the United States, which mocked the Prophet and ignited days of deadly protests including an attack in Libya in which U.S. Ambassador Chris Stevens and others were killed.

Meanwhile, French government officials have called for restraint over these cartoons, restating the principles of free speech in France and urging those shocked by the images to take action through the courts.

The front-page cartoon had the figure in a wheelchair saying "You mustn't mock'' under the headline "Untouchable 2," a reference to a hugely popular French movie about a paralyzed rich white man and his black assistant.