Zombie Muhammad

I have come across an interesting news story while surfing the World Wide Web.

Apparently during a Hallowe'en parade in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania, a man named Ernest Perce V decided to dress up as a zombified Muhammad.  He was joined by a zombified Pope, both part of the Parading Atheists of Central Pennsylvania.

Talaag Elbayomy, a Muslim man, was at the parade with his family, and allegedly choked Perce.

"He grabbed me, choked me from the back, and spun me around to try to get my sign off that was wrapped around my neck," Perce told ABC 27.  The sign said: Muhammed of Islam.

When the case went to court, Judge Mark Martin dismissed the charges against Elbayomy, saying there wasn't enough evidence.  He also gave Perce a piece of his mind with this speech:

"Having had the benefit of having spent over two and a half years in predominantly Muslim countries I think I know a little bit about the faith of Islam.  In fact I have a copy of the Koran here and I challenge you sir to show me where it say in the Koran that Mohammad arose and walked among the dead.  I think you misinterpreted things.  Before you start mocking someone else's religion you may want to find out a little bit more about it.  It makes you look like a doofus.  In many Arabic speaking countries something like this is definitely against the law there.  In their society in fact it can be punishable by death and it frequently is in their society."

After the incident, Perce said he had received over 470 threats.

"People have said they would kill me, rip my eyes out, run me over, shoot me and then laugh at me, since I have blasphemed Muhammad.  They say I will be found and hung in front of my family."

The judge has also received threats based on his ruling, causing him to be relocated for safety reasons.