May 20th (today) is Everybody Draw Mohammed Day.  The event was organized in response to the threats artists are receiving for depictions of Mohammed.  The catalyst was the recent threats to Trey Parker and Matt Stone for their attempt to depict Mohammed in the television show South Park.  The episode was later censored.  Numerous people came to their defense and the general defense of free speech.

The original creator of the event has stepped back from it causing it to be an non-organized day of protest that has gone viral.  The cause has been championed by folks like Andrew Sullivan, Dan Savage, and the libertarian Reason magazine promoting it.

The reactions have been strong to this and many feel this will only stoke anti-Islamic sentiments.  Pakistan shut down access to Facebook because of it.  The house of a Swedish artist Lars Vilks was recently the subject of an arson attack and this comes on the heals after an assault against him.  Those to attacks were on top of a murder plot by the American dubbed “Jihad Jane.” These events have caused Vilks to go into hiding.  Two individuals age 21 and 19 were arrested in connection with the arson attack.

If you participate in this event and would like us to display your work, please email us at graphicpolicy (at) gmail.com.