The international community continued to mourn the victims of last week’s terror attacks in Paris amid concern about growing hostility toward minorities. In France, security officials guarded synagogues and tried to assure Jews that they are safe. In many quarters, there is renewed debate about Islam and extremism. Many Muslim groups condemned the violence, but also urged more public respect for religion. Pope Francis waded into the controversy, saying while no one should ever kill in the name of God, people also should not provoke or insult others’ faith.
Many Muslims expressed alarm about anti-Islamic sentiment in parts of Europe. In Germany, record numbers attended anti-Muslim protests, outpacing a separate rally organized to show interfaith solidarity.
