TUNISIA: At least three people die as protesters incensed by a U.S. made film insulting the Prophet Mohammad attack U.S. embassy

Record ID: 353726

  • Title: TUNISIA: At least three people die as protesters incensed by a U.S. made film insulting the Prophet Mohammad attack U.S. embassy
  • Date: 14th September 2012
  • Summary: TUNIS, TUNISIA (SEPTEMBER 14, 2012) (REUTERS) POLICEMEN IN FORMATION OUTSIDE THE U.S. EMBASSY HELICOPTER ON PATROL SALAFISTS HOLDING BANNERS / SHOUTING SLOGANS SMOKE ERUPTING FROM TEAR GAS SHELLS PROTESTERS HURLING STONES AT POLICE PROTESTER SPEAKING ON MEGAPHONE TEAR HAS CANISTER PROTESTERS RUNNING PROTESTER ON BIKE WIDE OF PROTESTERS OUTSIDE U.S. EMBASSY MAN HOLDING TEA
  • Embargoed: 29th September 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Tunisia
  • Country: Tunisia
  • Topics: Entertainment,Religion,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVASPSGMB1KYH13Z6Q10CC8ONWG
  • Story Text: At least three people died and 28 others were wounded on Friday (September 14) after police fought hundreds of protesters incensed by a U.S.-made film insulting the Prophet Mohammad who ransacked the U.S. embassy in Tunisia.
    Police fired tear gas to quell the assault, in which protesters forced their way past riot police into the embassy.
    The protesters smashed windows, hurled petrol bombs and stones at police from inside the embassy, or started fires in the embassy and the compound. A black plume of smoke rose from the facility.
    A Tunisian security officer near the compound said the embassy had not been staffed on Friday, and calls to the embassy went unanswered.
    The protesters, many of whom were Islamic Salafists, also set fire to the nearby American School, which was closed at the time.
    The protests began after Friday prayers and followed a rallying call on Facebook by Islamist activists that was quickly endorsed by the local faction of the Islamic militant group Ansar al-Sharia.
    Libyan officials suspect the Libyan branch of Ansar al-Sharia of being behind an attack in Benghazi in which four Americans, including the U.S. ambassador to Libya, were killed on Tuesday (September 11).
    The moderate Islamist Ennahda movement, which heads the Tunis government, had advised Tunisians against participating in the protest.
    Hundreds of protesters wielding petrol bombs, stones and sticks had charged at the security forces protecting the embassy before jumping a wall to invade the compound.
    Riot police finally drove the protesters from the embassy and the compound. Several people were arrested.
    The compound was cordoned off by police, soldiers and members of the elite presidential guard, but clashes continued in the el-Aouina district across a highway from the smart Auberge du Lac neighbourhood where the embassy is located.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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