Petition launched to have Katy Perry's "Dark Horse" video, removed from youtube

A petition has been launched to have Katy Perry's latest music video, for her single Dark Horse, removed from YouTube, after she was accused of blasphemy by Muslims.The video features the pop star as an Egyptian queen who transforms suitors into sand by disintegrating them.

Shazad Iqbal, from Bradford, has started an online petition for it to be removed from YouTube after he spotted one of the suitors wearing a pendant with the Arabic word for God on it.More than 60,000 people have signed the petition, saying the clip is offensive.Explaining his reasons for starting the petition, Mr Iqbal wrote: "At 01:15 into the video Dark Horse a man is shown being burned, whilst wearing a pendant (also burned) forming the word Allah."Blasphemy is clearly conveyed in the video, since Katy Perry (who appears to be representing an opposition of God) engulfs the believer and the word God in flames."

He added: "Using the name of God in an irrelevant and distasteful manner would be considered inappropriate by any religion.My only request is that all artists in the music industry: You have wealth, fame and success - please do not use the foundations of other religions in a mockery to carry out your fame."As well as the UK, signatories have come from countries including Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Morocco, Lebanon and the US.However, some of the 60,000 petitioners have posted spam and offensive messages against the petition.