Louis Farrakhan says violence over anti-Islam film can be ‘teaching moment’ for world

HAVANA – Nation of Islam Minister Louis Farrakhan says he hopes the violence that has erupted over a film disparaging the Prophet Mohammed will die down.

He says the strong reaction to the independent film can be a “teaching moment,” both for the United States and for Muslims.

Farrakhan is often an outspoken critic of Washington’s policies. He says the U.S. government was not responsible for the short film’s content, though he hints that he feels it does bear some responsibility for what he calls an atmosphere of intolerance that helped engender it.

Farrakhan made his comments Thursday while in Cuba to meet with Cuban President Raul Castro and island religious leaders.