“Swedish artist Lars Vilks has died. Vilks was most famous for his depictions of the prophet Muhammad, a work of art & exercise in freedom of speech which forced him to live in a secret location with 24/7 security due to constant threats from Islamist extremists,” notes Annika Rothstein. He died October 3 in a car crash in southern Sweden, near the town of Markaryd. He was 75.
Vilks triggered global controversy in 2007 with drawings depicting Mohammed, the founder of Islam, with the body of a dog. Vilks had been living under police protection since the Mohammed/dog drawings were published. He was traveling in a police vehicle that collided with a truck. Two cops also died in the crash that killed Vilks.