Macron's posters stuck on Mumbai road, removed

Posters of French President Emmanuel Macron were found pasted on a busy road in south Mumbai and were later removed by the police, an official said on Friday.

Pedestrians and motorists in the Bhendi Bazaar area spotted hundreds of posters of Macron, who is facing criticism from Muslim countries over a cartoon row in France, pasted on the Mohammed Ali Road under JJ flyover on Thursday evening, the official said.

A video also surfaced on social media in which vehicles can be seen driving over the posters.

Mumbai Police spokesperson S Chaitanya confirmed the incident and said the posters were promptly removed by the Pydhonie police after getting information about them.

No case has been registered in this regard so far, another official said.

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Cong MLA among 2,000 people booked over anti-Macron protest

Madhya Pradesh Congress MLA Arif Masood and some clerics are among 2,000 people who have been booked after a protest against French President Emmanuel Macron over a cartoon row in the European country, police said on Friday.

A first information report has been registered against them for staging the protest in violation of COVID-19 restrictions, they said.

As many as 2,000 people, including Masood and some clerics, were charged under section 188 (disobedience of an order promulgated by a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code on Thursday evening, Talaiya police station officer D P Singh said.

The protesters have violated the district administration order banning assembly of people in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, he added.

The Congress MLA along with Muslim religious leaders and members of the community on Thursday protested at Iqbal Maidan in Bhopal against Macron over the controversy related to depictions of Prophet Muhammad in France.