Missing the Point

I was watching CTV NewsNet this morning and they were talking to a representative from the European Committee for Prophet Honouring. I understand the Muslim community was offended by the cartoons, but I don't think they (or at least this representative) understands what free speech means. He was saying that before the violence they had petitions and non-violent protests and the government still didn't do anything. He was implying the government should have actually taken steps to ban these cartoons or come out heavily against them. When people say they need to try and achieve their goals from non-violent means, this doesn't mean to do as much non-violence as you can and then when the government doesn't limit the freedom of their citizens you have the right to react with violence. Protesting should be to trying and get the newspaper to apologize or to get awareness of the issue so that the public will boycott the paper and force publications. If their goal is to get free speech banned in the Western world, I don't think the understand what living in a free society means.