'Special day of love': Mob violence breaks out in Peshawar on national protest holiday

Jenn Taylor | 7:42 AM on September 21, 2012

Pakistan’s national holiday for “peaceful protest” of a crappy movie about Islam turned violent Friday. Unexpectedly, of course.

In Pakistan, a government-declared “special day of love” for the Prophet Muhammad has seen violent clashes and at least one death in the northern city of Peshawar, and clashes elsewhere.

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In Peshawar, protesters attacked and ransacked two cinema buildings. A driver for a Pakistani TV station was killed when police opened fire to disperse protesters, seven of whom were reported wounded.

Clashes between police and protesters are also being reported from the cities of Rawalpindi, Lahore and Karachi.

Evidently the Obama administration’s scapegoating of free speech, appeasement tweets and apology ads on Pakistani television did nothing to calm the mob on this heart-warming “special day of love.” Not even this tweet right before today’s violence.

Senator Kerry on video: "We feel it is without any legitimacy, any potential redeeming quality. It is an insult to everybody,”

— U.S. Embassy Islamabad (@usembislamabad) September 21, 2012

Who could have seen that coming?

Some poor guy in Rawalpindi just had his petrol/CNG pump vandalised by a mob expressing its love for the Prophet. #Pakistan

— Rezaul Hasan Laskar (@Rezhasan) September 21, 2012

In Peshawar mad mob is destroying and setting on fire a Cinema in the name of #LoveForProphetpbuh via @GeoNews

— Riaz Ali Turi (@RiazToori) September 21, 2012

KPK Chamber of commerce building set on fire by angry protesters in Peshawar.

— Faizan Lakhani (@faizanlakhani) September 21, 2012

#Pakistan Too much love in the streets. So much love that tyres are catching fire, shops are being looted, ATMs are being broken into.

— Fifi Haroon (@fifiharoon) September 21, 2012