Friday, January 08, 2010
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Minneapolis (AP) — Two county attorneys in the St. Cloud area say they won't file charges against a man who investigators say admitted posting anti-Muslim cartoons in front of a mosque, a Somali-owned store and other spots.
Authorities say the cartoons show the Prophet Muhammad engaged in bestiality and other obscene images, and an Islamic crescent with a swastika inside it.
Mohamoud Mohamed, a Somali activist in St. Cloud, says they demonstrate a violent mindset, and Mayor Dave Kleis (KLICE) says he thinks the man should face legal consequences.
But the chief prosecutors in Stearns and Benton counties say the cartoons are protected speech. Stearns County Attorney Janelle Kendall calls it a "classic First Amendment case."
St. Cloud city attorney Jan Petersen says the man might still be charged with a simple misdemeanor, which carries a lighter penalty.
Source: AP