California judge denies bid to remove anti-Islam film from YouTube
Thursday 20 September 2012
Related articles
A California judge denied a request by an actress today to remove an anti-Islam film from YouTube that has spawned violent protests across the Muslim world.
Actress Cindy Lee Garcia had sought to have the film removed in a suit against YouTube parent company Google Inc ( GOOG.O) and a California man linked to the film, saying she was duped into taking part and had since received death threats.
"The request for a temporary restraining order is denied. The plaintiff has not shown a likelihood to prevail on the merits," Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Luis Lavin said.
Garcia's is the first known civil lawsuit connected to the making of the video, which depicts the Prophet Mohammad as a womanizer and a fool, and which helped generate a torrent of violence across the Muslim world last week, the anniversary of the 11 September, 2001, attacks on the United States.
The violence included an attack on US diplomatic facilities in Benghazi in which the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three other Americans were killed. U.S. and other foreign embassies were also stormed in cities in Asia, Africa and the Middle East by furious Muslims.
Garcia accused a producer of the movie, whom she identified as Nakoula Basseley Nakoula using the alias Sam Bacile, of duping her into appearing in a "hateful" film that she had been led to believe was a simple desert adventure movie.
"There was no mention of 'Mohammed' during filming or on set. There were no references made to religion nor was there any sexual content of which Ms. Garcia was aware," the lawsuit said.
For many Muslims, any depiction of the prophet is blasphemous. Caricatures deemed insulting in the past have provoked protests and drawn condemnation from officials, preachers, ordinary Muslims and many Christians.
Garcia, who said she had received death threats after the video was posted on YouTube, has accused Nakoula of fraud and slander.
Garcia also named Google and its YouTube unit as defendants in the suit she filed on Wednesday. She said her right to privacy had been violated and her life endangered, among other allegations.
An attorney for Google said the rights of an actor do not protect that person from how a film is perceived.
"If we viewed it that way we'd say that Arnold Schwarzenegger as a cyborg in 'Terminator' was a factual statement about Arnold Schwarzenegger," lawyer Timothy Alger said.
Reuters
-
Have shock jocks gone too far?
-
Former Google exec says he has 100,000 emails showing how 'immoral' company avoids paying UK tax
-
Notes from a small island: Is Sealand an independent 'micronation' or an illegal fortress?
-
World news in pictures
-
British man confesses to slitting two children's throats in Lyon flat
- 1 Asteroid nine times the size of the QE2 liner to sail pass Earth
- 2 Notes from a small island: Is Sealand an independent 'micronation' or an illegal fortress?
- 3 British business: We need to stay in the EU - or risk losing up to £92bn a year
- 4 You thought Ryanair's attendants had it bad? Wait 'til you hear about their pilots
- 5 It’s official: thanks to Stephen Hawking's Israel boycott, anti-Semitism is no more
Get your summer started with British Military Fitness
BMF is the UK’s biggest and best loved outdoor fitness classes
Visit York
Find out what The Independent's resident travel expert has to say about one of the most beautiful small cities in the world
Enter the latest Independent competitions
Win anything from gadgets to five-star holidays on our competitions and offers page.
Business videos from commercial thought leaders
Watch the best in the business world give their insights into the world of business.
Independent Dating
iJobs General
Senior Employment Solicitor - Birmingham
Excellent Package: Austen Lloyd: This is a senior appointment with huge potent...
Teaching Programme Officer with Qualified Teacher Status
£28000 - £31500 per annum + benefits: Randstad Education Newcastle: Permanent ...
SAP FI-CA Consultant - up to £58k
£50000 - £58000 per annum + Benefits and Bonus: Progressive Recruitment: SAP F...
PHP/ Drupal Developer - £35k - WC
£30000 - £40000 per annum + BENS: Progressive Recruitment: Drupal Developer A ...
Day In a Page
The price of pacifism
Jason Isaacs: Groupies, theatre bores and James Bond
Sealand: 'Micronation' or illegal fortress?
Legend of James Hunt has set Hollywood hearts racing
Macklemore: 'I don't have moderation'






