“You cannot pass through here.” One of the stewards stepped to the side and blocked my way, “You have to go round the other side.”
“But I’m not passing through,” I told him. “I’m here to cover the event.”
A moment later, I was receiving a briefing from their media person, and then let loose into the crowd. Finally, after having photographed quite a number of protests and demonstrations, I was at ease in such situations. No fear, no hesitation, no waffling. Just gear up and shoot. Although I was not a bona fide photojournalist nor did I have any press passes or accreditation, I looked and behaved for all the world that I had every right to be there, and that I knew what I was doing. I could weave in and out of the police lines and barricades and nobody would stop me; in fact, a few protesters came up to me and asked which organisation I was from, and upon hearing that I was a lone operator, visibly eased and started conversing. I think being a girl makes me less of a threat, and my ethnicity marks me as an obvious inquisitive outsider – one who could be enlightened.
“What’s the Imam saying?” I asked a youth who had posed for my camera.
“I have no idea too,” he confessed, while his friends laughed. One of them then explained the contents of the current speech. The religious leaders were speaking in a spattering of Arabic, Urdu and English, against Google’s actions, against the film’s content, against the popular misconception of Muslims in the media. “We are a peaceful people,” the boy translated. “We love Allah, we love him more than we love our family, our own lives. We will not stand and do nothing when he is insulted.” The crowd roared and chanted in response.
Media sources cited 10,000 Muslims protesting outside Google’s headquarters in London Victoria
Protesters were demanding the removal of the controversial film Innocence of Muslims from Google and YouTube
Muslims are deeply insulted and saddened by the offensive portrayal of the Prophet Muhammad in the film
Crowds cheer as the Imams vow “not [to] stop until Google stops supporting anti-Islamic propaganda”
Police and stewards attempt to hold the line
While I was shooting, I noticed that I was surrounded by men; the women and children were all gathered at the back
More on Flickr: Muslim Protests Against Anti-Islamic Film