Speech & Censorship

Academics & Education

Lawsuit concerning Hamline adjunct professor, Prophet Muhammad controversy moved back to federal court Erika López Prater claimed religious discrimination, reprisal, and defamation after Hamline dismissed her amid student complaints about a painting shown in class.

March 9, 2023   

(KARE) After already ping-ponging between state and federal court multiple times, the lawsuit filed by former Hamline University adjunct professor Erika López Prater was moved back to federal court last week. López Prater’s suit alleges religious discrimination, reprisal, and defamation after she […]

Academics & Education

Suella Braverman alarmed by ‘death threats’ against pupils who allegedly damaged Koran The home secretary made the remark after four students were suspended over an incident at a school in West Yorkshire. A copy of the Islamic text was reportedly brought into school before its cover was slightly torn and smears of dirt were found on some pages.

March 4, 2023   

(Sky News) Reports of death threats against West Yorkshire school pupils who allegedly damaged a copy of the Koran are alarming, the home secretary has said. Suella Braverman has spoken of her “deep concern” over the case and said it raises broader […]

Government & Politics

UK summons Iranian diplomat after threats force TV channel to close in London Britain's foreign secretary also announced further sanctions on Iranian officials linked to human rights abuses

February 20, 2023   

(National-UAE) Britain summoned Iran’s most senior diplomat on Monday to make clear that threats to journalists on UK soil “will never go unchallenged” after a Persian-language TV channel was forced to close its London newsroom. Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said he was […]

Academics & Education

Art history professor moves to dismiss federal lawsuit against Hamline, plans to file new suit A federal judge dismissed the case at the art history professor’s request. The professor’s lawyer told Sahan Journal his client would file a new case in state court.

February 9, 2023   

(Sahan Journal) A federal judge on Thursday dismissed the lawsuit Erika López Prater filed against Hamline University after the school criticized her for displaying two images of the Prophet Muhammad in her art history class. David Redden, an attorney for López Prater, […]

Academics & Education

‘Female autonomy’ versus ‘betrayal’: Macalester closes, then reopens, art gallery after pushback from Muslim students Macalester added a content warning to an exhibit by an Iranian American artist, which explores women’s freedoms and Muslim identity. The artist, Taravat Talepasand, said temporarily covering her art with black curtains was an act of 'censorship.'

February 8, 2023   

(Sahan Journal) A Macalester College art exhibit reopened Monday after a brief closure to address concerns from Muslim students. It’s the second time in recent months that Muslim students at private liberal arts colleges in St. Paul have raised objections to art […]

Demonstrations

Norway bans protest over ‘security concerns’ amid fears of Quran burning Norwegian media report that a group of anti-Islam protesters planned to destroy a copy of the Quran at the demonstration

February 2, 2023   

(National-UAE) A planned demonstration outside the Turkish embassy in Oslo has been banned amid fears it would become a Quran-burning protest, Norwegian police have said. Turkey summoned Norway’s ambassador on Thursday over the planned protest that was expected to take place on […]

Demonstrations

Police: Nato protesters planned, then decided against, Koran burning at Helsinki demo After learning about the plans on social media, police told organisers before the demonstration that burning such a book would be illegal.

January 31, 2023   

(Yle) Some protesters planned to burn a Koran at an anti-Nato demonstration held in Helsink[i] last week, but then reconsidered after learning it would be against the law, according to city police. The Helsinki Police Department’s chief inspector, Heikki Porola, told Yle […]

Demonstrations

Muslim-American group urges Swedish government to condemn Quran burning Prime minister’s statement does not clearly convey that government 'unequivocally rejects Islamophobia as a form of hate and bigotry,' says CAIR

January 25, 2023   

(Anadolu) The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) called on the Swedish government Tuesday to condemn the recent burning of the Muslim holy book, the Quran, outside the Turkish Embassy in Stockholm. ”While CAIR does not hold the government of Sweden responsible for […]

Academics & Education

Hamline U. faculty call on President Miller to step down over Islamophobia controversy Hamline’s full-time faculty say the dismissal of an adjunct professor has harmed the university’s reputation.

January 24, 2023   

(Pioneer Press) Hamline University’s full-time faculty on Tuesday asked President Fayneese Miller to resign over her administration’s handling of a Muslim student’s complaint about an adjunct professor who showed ancient art in class that depicted the Prophet Muhammad. Various Hamline administrators have […]

Academics & Education

CAIR says Hamline University teacher is not Islamophobic The statement comes after CAIR's Minnesota chapter said the classroom viewing of a painting of the Prophet Muhammad was bigoted and disrespectful.

January 13, 2023   

(Religion News) The Council on American-Islamic Relations issued a statement Friday (Jan. 13), saying an art history instructor at Hamline University did not act with bigoted intent when she showed a 14th-century painting of the Prophet Muhammad in a class last semester. […]