Katy Perry’s Dark Horse video edited after blasphemy accusation

Katy Perry’s video for her new track Dark Horse has been edited following claims from some Muslims it was blasphemous.

More than 65,000 people signed a petition which stated the video – featuring a pendant with the Arabic word for God on it being reduced to sand – was offensive.

The music video has not been cut, but the pendant has now been digitally “scrubbed” out of the scene.

Petition instigator Shazad Iqbal, said he was “thrilled” with the outcome.

“The name of Allah has been removed from the Dark Horse video – we couldn’t have done it without everyone’s support so I thank each and every one of you deeply, our voices have been heard,” he wrote on Change.org.

“I feel that the impact we have made and the total number of signatures obtained does convey just how worthy a cause this is, it is a significant step towards the right direction.”

It is unclear whether YouTube made the change or if it was instructed to by Katy Perry’s record company.

Katy Perry’s video features the pop star as an Egyptian queen who transforms suitors into sand by disintegrating them.

Shazad Iqbal, from Bradford, began the petition after he spotted one of the suitors wearing the pendant.

Explaining his reasons for starting the petition, Shazad Iqbal wrote: “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.”

“Using the name of God in an irrelevant and distasteful manner would be considered inappropriate by any religion,” he added.

Katy Perry’s Dark Horse video has attracted more than 37 million views since it premiered on YouTube on February 20.

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