TURKEY: Dozens of Turkish protesters torch a U.S. flag in anger over a film mocking the Prophet Mohammed.

Record ID: 717807

  • Title: TURKEY: Dozens of Turkish protesters torch a U.S. flag in anger over a film mocking the Prophet Mohammed.
  • Date: 16th September 2012
  • Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (SEPTEMBER 16, 2012) (REUTERS) PROTESTERS CHANTING IN TURKISH: 'MUSLIMS WAKE UP! PROTECT YOUR HONOUR!' PROTESTERS STEPPING ON U.S. FLAG PROTESTERS CHANTING ANTI-U.S. SLOGANS BANNER READING: 'WAIT FOR US WHITE HOUSE, BLACK FLAG IS COMING SOON' (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PROTESTER OMER BELUL SAYING: "We call on our brothers in Libya, Egypt, Yemen, Malezia
  • Embargoed: 1st October 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: Religion,Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA4XOLUEETFXE0QLTOTHU6350F3
  • Story Text: A small group of protestors burned a U.S. flag outside the U.S. Embassy in Turkey's capital Ankara on Sunday (September 16) in protest against a film mocking the Prophet Mohammed, while several dozen others chanted slogans against U.S. policy in Syria.
    The protesters from two separate groups, one an Islamist organisation and the other a workers' party, carried banners including one which read "Murderer America! Get out of Turkey!"
    Riot police backed by water cannon blocked the road outside the embassy, keeping the protesters around 100 metres (yards) from its walls, and the group dispersed in less than an hour.
    Fury about the amateurish film of obscure origin tore across the Middle East after weekly prayers on Friday with protesters attacking U.S. embassies and burning American flags.
    The violence largely subsided on Saturday but the Pentagon has bolstered security at its missions in the region.
    Turkey's ruling AK Party, in power for the past decade, has Islamist roots but the country has a strong secular tradition and protests against the United States have been peaceful and on a far smaller scale than in other parts of the Middle East.
    Sunday's protest coincided with a visit to Turkey by General Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, who is expected to discuss the crisis in neighbouring Syria and Turkey's domestic security with his Turkish counterparts.
    The demonstration, called to protest a film denigrating the Prophet Mohammad, was organised by Hizb ut-Tahrir, a radical Islamist group banned in many countries.
    A wave of furious anti-Western protests against the film have spread around the world. In the most violent incident, U.S. ambassador to Libya Christopher Stevens and three others died in an attack on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi.
    ENDS
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register