The film that prompted violent protests across the Muslim world will be pulled off the Internet due to a U.S. court order.
Wednesday, a panel of judges ordered Google to remove the film "Innocence of Muslims" from its sites. The movie was filled with anti-Islam sentiment. (Via YouTube /Sam Bacile)
Muslims in Egypt and Libya protested the low-budget film, despite its limited exposure in the U.S. September 2012's Benghazi consulate attack was linked with reaction to the film. (Via Al Jazeera)
But the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals voted 2-1 to order the film off the Internet not because it was offensive, but because it violated an agreement between actor and director.
Cindy Lee Garcia was told her performance would be used in an adventure film called "Desert Warrior." Instead, it was used for "Innocence of Muslims," and her voice was dubbed over with the line "Is your Mohammed a child molester?" (Via Gawker)
Garcia says she has sinced received death threats and was forced to move from her home. Wednesday, Chief Judge Alex Kozinski wrote, "The film differs so radically from anything Garcia could have imagined when she was cast that it can’t possibly be authorized by any implied license she granted.” (Via Los Angeles Times)
Google had opposed this injunction on 1st Amendment grounds. But the panel of judges ruled Wednesday this was a matter of copyright infringement, not freedom of speech.
