Little Pakistan’s Response to Innocence of Muslims

Innocence of Muslims, the anti-Islamic YouTube video that sparked worldwide protests last month, continues to be a catalyst for protests from Muslims around the globe.

In our own neighborhood, the Little Pakistan strip on Coney Island Avenue stretches from about Avenue H to Beverley Road. This strip was the site of protests against the video that many Muslims perceive to be blasphemous. Community leaders continue to consider responses to the video, including requests from neighbors to file a lawsuit against the video’s producer, Nakoula Basseley Nakoula. Anirvan Ghosh from The Brooklyn Ink recently spoke with several community members about the video.

Sheikh Aziz belongs to the Punjabi community, which holds most of the positions of power and prestige in Pakistan. “Its been 32 years since I left my country,” he said. “And even now the people here don’t understand why making fun of the Prophet infuriates us. I feel they should not do so, when we never say anything against their community.”

Ghosh spoke with several other neighbors about their own reactions to the video, painting an interesting if incomplete picture of how the local community is dealing with the global controversy.