UK minister evokes Monty Python to defend Rushdie

By Claudia Parsons

NEW YORK (Reuters) - From Salman Rushdie to Monty Python, free speech even if offensive is worth protecting, Britain's interior minister said on Wednesday, defending a knighthood for Rushdie which has drawn protests from Muslims.

Angry protesters took to the streets in Pakistan and Malaysia on Wednesday to denounce Britain's award of a knighthood to Rushdie, whose novel "The Satanic Verses" outraged many Muslims worldwide and prompted death threats.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth announced the award for the Indian-born British writer last week for services to literature.

"We have a set of values that accords people honors when they contribute to literature even if we don't agree with their point of view," Home Secretary John Reid said, responding to a question at a lecture on counter-terrorism in New York.

"A lot of people were upset when John Cleese made 'Life of Brian,'" Reid said, referring to the movie by the British comedy troupe "Monty Python" which parodied the life of Jesus and offended many Christians.

Reid also noted that many Jews were upset by the work of Mel Gibson, whose 2004 film "The Passion of the Christ" drew charges of anti-Semitism.

"We have to be sensitive to the views of people of religion, people who have very strong views," he said.

"But I think that we all appreciate that in the long run our protection of the right to express your views in literature, argument, politics, is of over-riding political value to our societies," Reid said.