The spiked podcast The Muhammad cartoons that shook the world | Flemming Rose
14 snips
Sep 30, 2025 Flemming Rose, former culture editor at Jyllands-Posten, discusses the controversial 2005 cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad that ignited global unrest. He explores the rationale behind publishing the cartoons, emphasizing the risks of self-censorship. Flemming highlights the escalated international protests and personal threats he faced. He critiques blasphemy laws for fostering violence and argues that true multiculturalism must protect free speech. Ultimately, he advocates for courage in the face of censorship to safeguard open dialogue.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Commissioning Cartoons To Test Self-Censorship
- Flemming Rose commissioned cartoons to test whether illustrators were self-censoring after threats like Theo van Gogh's murder.
- He invited cartoonists and received 12 submissions as a journalistic 'show, don't tell' investigation.
Domestic Politics Drove The Global Backlash
- The international crisis escalated months later after Danish imams brought unpublished cartoons to a Saudi summit and mobilised protests.
- Political actors in several Muslim-majority countries used the cartoons for domestic agendas, triggering violence and boycotts.
Living Under Protection After Threats
- Rose describes living with bodyguards after threats and later learning individuals had tried to find and kill him.
- He says he personally never felt his life was in immediate danger despite death threats and unpleasant confrontations.
