AMU students protest against France's President Macron; want boycott over extremism row

Protest marches were held at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) against French President Emmanuel Macron over his remarks on Islam and extremism amid recurring terror incidents and attacks in the European nation. Students shouted slogans against Macron while holding banners and called for a boycott of French products. The protesters also burnt posters of the French President, this despite an extremism attack taking place at a church in France's Nice where 3 people were killed, one of whom was beheaded.

The protest march began from AMU's Duck Point to the Baba Syed Gate via Engineering College, Deeniyat Department, Art Faculty, Vice-Chancellor Lodge, Staff Club.

One of the student leaders said that the remarks of the French President regarding Islam cannot be tolerated. He said France-made products are being boycotted all over the world, causing a loss of billions of dollars to France in three days. The protestors said products made by French companies are also prevalent in India and appealed to the AMU fraternity to boycott French products. 

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Macron’s controversial statements

France has hardened its stance against radical Islam after the killing of a French teacher who showed cartoons of Prophet Muhammad republished in terror-victim satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo in class. Reacting to the incident, Macron had said that the teacher, Samuel Paty, "was killed because Islamists want our future", but France would "not give up our cartoons".

The visual depiction of Prophet Muhammad in any form is not allowed as per Islam and is believed to amount to blasphemy. Macron had spoken about a fight on ‘Islamist separatism’ earlier this month. Later, he made more controversial statements on the killing of teacher Samuel Paty by a Muslim student over the Charlie Hebdo cartoons. His remarks have attracted widespread criticism from Muslim-majority countries around the world, while many others have backed him against terror.

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