How 12 Cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed were Brought to Trigger an International Conflict

The publication of twelve Mohammed in the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten (JP) led to consumer boycotts, burning embassies and official demands for UN to intervene.

The article analyses why the religious protests in Denmark generated the astonishing international reactions. It concludes that a very hostile rhetoric against Muslims in Denmark and mounting international tensions were important pre-disposing causes for the conflict.

In an analysis of the strategy used by Imams from the Danish Muslim communities the article concludes that they chose a policy of conflict escalation and mobilisation through keeping focus on the religious dimension of the crisis.

The article points to several options, which were not used by the Danish government to de-escalate the conflict and illustrates how the government contributed to conflict escalation by making the case solely a matter of defending freedom of expression.

Finally the article suggests some lessons to be learned, if other cross-cultural crises should appear in European countries in the future.