ALL JUST HISTORY REPEATING ITSELF
As I still stand in awe muttering "what the fuck, they’re storming the Danish Embassy over cartoons!", I wonder if I’m the only one who remembers from schoolboy history that the 19th century "Indian Mutiny" – that almost lost India for the British and killed hundreds of thousands – actually erupted over pork grease. After the usual colonial tensions rose to a boil (folks just don’t like to be colonized) the ruling Brits (my bunch) introduced the Pattern 1853 Enfield (P/53) rifle. Its cartridge was covered by a greased membrane which was supposed to be bitten off for loading. Rumours spread that the membrane was greased by cow or pig fat, an anathema to both Hindu and Muslim soldiers. With typical upper-class Victorian pig-ignorance, Commander in Chief in India, General George Anson responded. "I'll never give in to their beastly prejudices." And he didn’t. And murderous all hell broke loose.
For chapter and verse...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indian_Mutiny