A Halifax philosophy professor has forced his university to take sides in an international debate over cartoons.

Peter March, who teaches logic and semantics, at St. Mary's University, downloaded the cartoons from the internet and posted them on his office door Tuesday afternoon.

A group of Muslim students demand an apology from Professor March
A group of Muslim students demand an apology from Professor March

These are the same images that have led to rioting and violence in parts of the Islamic world. One of them depicts the prophet Muhammad with a turban shaped like a bomb.

The cartoons didn't stay up for long. March complied with a swift university administration order to take them down.

Both March's decision to post the cartoons and the university's order to remove them have sparked controversy on campus.

March, who sometimes criticizes religious faith in class, says he feels personally intimidated by the violent protests the cartoons have generated.

"I feel threatened by the crowds around the world shaking fists, shaking sticks, burning things down … I wish to make my stand, that here in Canada that won't wash, we intend to continue,"March said.

He added that he wanted to make a point about academic freedom and freedom of speech.

"I want Canadian newspapers to have the right to publish them, and that we should all stand together against any group that tries to intimidate us out of doing that," he said.

But university vice-president Chuck Bridges said the cartoons violate the university's health and safety rules and harassment policies as well as human-rights legislation.

"Well, there are concerns that people may see them and be offended by them and may be terribly upset by them, and given that, we thought that was a good enough reason to ask him to take them down," Bridges said.

"The government regulations and our cullture draws a fine line between freedom of speech and academic freedom. And in doing so, we have to be mindful and respectful of cultures, race, all those cultures that are clearly covered by legislation," he added.

Students at St. Mary's are divided on the issue.

While some say the images are insulting and should have been removed, others say the administration is being too politically correct, even cowardly.

March agreed to remove the cartoons the same afternoon because, legally, the outside of his office door belongs, not to him, but to the university.