LONDON, Feb. 11 (Xinhuanet) -- Thousands of Muslims are gathering in London Saturday to protest against the publication of controversial cartoons caricaturing the Prophet Mohammad.

    Christian groups are also joining the United Against Incitement and Islamophobia rally in Trafalgar Square to present a united front.

    But there are fears that football thugs and extremists may try to hijack the mass event.

    The Metropolitan Police will be monitoring the event closely.

    The day is being organized by a coalition of moderate Muslim groups, including the Muslim Association of Britain, the UK Islamic Mission and the Islamic Society of Britain.

    Mayor of London Ken Livingstone and the Muslim Council of Britain are also supporting the protest.

    A spokesman for all the organizations taking part said, "The first message we want to send to the country is that of the legitimate voice of the Muslim community as opposed to those that hijacked last week's demonstrations outside the Danish embassy."

    The original 12 cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad were first published in the Danish paper Jyllands-Posten in September.

    They were reprinted in Norway in January, and subsequently in Germany, France, Italy, Spain and in other countries around the globe.

    The caricatures provoked angry protests from Muslims worldwide, who consider any representation of their Prophet to be blasphemous.

    Many demonstrations against the cartoons turned violent, leading to several deaths and the torching of Danish embassies in the Middle East. Enditem