Kuwait takes French products off shelves in protest at anti-Prophet images

Cairo: Fifty cooperative societies in Kuwait have removed French products from their outlets in protest against the publication in France of caricatures lampooning the Prophet Mohammed (peace be upon him), Al Qabas newspaper has reported.

The goods removal came after online calls gained support for boycotting French products in Muslim countries. Several hashtags in Arabic have trended in recent days, decrying the offensive images and urging a boycott of French goods.

“Out of our belief in the cooperative role that does not accept violating our established Islamic tenets and out of community responsibility of cooperatives’ board heads and members, you are kindly requested to boycott all French commodities and products, and lift them,” the Federation of Consumer Cooperative Societies in Kuwait said in a circular to the cooperatives’ heads, according to Al Qabas.

The Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, expressed “extreme dismay” over the French publication of the offensive cartoons and warned that they “inflame hatred, animosity and violence”.