Photos: Iraqis March on US, Israeli Flags in Basra on 4th of July Weekend
They’re marching on US flags in Iraq.
After we just helped them liberate Fallujah!
Iraqi military and police in the city of Basra were photographed preparing to march on U.S. and Israeli flags laid out on their parade route to mark Al Quds Day.
The photos were posted to Twitter:
Images from Basra during "Al Quds Day" parade. In Iraq we only walk over flags, we don't burn them. pic.twitter.com/TONNPkrgSZ
— Rasha Al Aqeedi (@RashaAlAqeedi) July 2, 2016
“Images from Basra during “Al Quds Day” parade. In Iraq we only walk over flags, we don’t burn them.”
Happy #QudsDay from our friends in #Iraq (first 3 in #Basra, last in #Baghdad). I wonder what @USEmbBaghdad thinks.. pic.twitter.com/2rHtJTqCGL
— Anna Ahronheim (@AAhronheim) July 2, 2016
“Happy #QudsDay from our friends in #Iraq (first 3 in #Basra, last in #Baghdad). I wonder what @USEmbBaghdad thinks..”
There were reports other Iraqis were angered by the anti-American display.
Big backlash on Iraqi social media over Iraqi policemen marching on US flag in Basra as part of Iranian-inspired Quds Day parade.
— Nibras Kazimi (@ImaraWaTijara) July 2, 2016
“Big backlash on Iraqi social media over Iraqi policemen marching on US flag in Basra as part of Iranian-inspired Quds Day parade.”
There was also a report that the Iraqi government cracked down on the police in Basra.
Backlash seems to have compelled MOI to take disciplinary action against participating officers
— Nibras Kazimi (@ImaraWaTijara) July 2, 2016
“Backlash seems to have compelled MOI to take disciplinary action against participating officers”
https://twitter.com/iraqi_day/status/749235223775285249
“#Iraq interior minster has fired all the police officers walked over U.S flad during Quds day rally
#شعبنا_محتاج”
Wikipedia’s description of Quds Day:
“Quds Day (Jerusalem Day, Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem), officially called International Quds Day (Persian: روز جهانی قدس), is an annual event held on the last Friday of Ramadan that was initiated by the Islamic Republic of Iran in 1979 to express support for the Palestinians and oppose Zionism and Israel’s existence,[1] as well as Israel’s control of Jerusalem. Nominally it is opposed to the Jerusalem Day (Yom Yerushalayim) celebration instituted by Israel in May 1968, and which Knesset law changed into a national holiday in 1998.[2] In Iran, the government sponsors and organizes the day’s rallies, and its celebration in that country has had, down to at least 2012, a decade-long tradition of voicing anti-Semitic attacks.[3] Quds Day is also held in several other countries, mainly in the Arab and Muslim world, with protests against Israel’s occupation of East Jerusalem.[4][5][6] The rally is held by both Muslim and non-Muslim communities around the world.[7]”
