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US embassy staff evacuated as Muhammad film protests spread

Workers in Khartoum and Tunis advised to leave.

In Khartoum, protesters targeted the German and US embassies. Photo: Getty
In Khartoum, protesters targeted the German and US embassies. Photo: Getty

The US has withdrawn non-essential staff from its embassies in Sudan and Tunisia, the Associated Press has reported. The move follows protests in Muslim-majority countries this weekend, galvanised by an anti-Islamic film made in the US. While some of the demonstrations have been peaceful, protestors have reportedly been killed and wounded in clashes with police in Sudan. Earlier this week, the US ambassador to Libya was killed, along with three others, in the eastern city of Benghazi.

Many demonstrators have referenced the film "Innocence of Muslims", made by a Christian group in America, but there are suggestions that some unrest had planned before the release of the film.

The Guardian's Julian Borger reports:

US officials have said they believe outrage over the film may have been used by an extremist Libyan group, Ansar al-Sharia, as cover and a diversion for an assault on the Benghazi consulate that had been long planned for the 11th anniversary of the 11 September attacks. The president of the Libyan assembly, Yousef al-Megariaf, agreed. During a visit to Benghazi, he described the storming of the consulate as "pre-planned to hit at the core of the relationship between Libya and the United States". Small anti-American demonstrations in Damascus and Tehran appeared to have been facilitated by the authorities there.

So far, protests have been reported in Tunisia, Iraq, Pakistan, Bahrain, Iran, Syria, Egypt, Turkey, Yemen, Jordan, Sudan, Palestine and India, with smaller demonstrations in Western countries such as Australia and Britain. 

In Tunisia, cars outside the US embassy in Tunis were set on fire and protesters scaled its walls.

In Khartoum, Sudan, the German embassy was torched, and its diplomats took refuge in the British embassy next door. The foreign secretary, William Hague, said: "Sudanese police attended the scene, but demonstrators were able to break down a perimeter wall and cause minor damage to the compound. They did not attempt to gain access to the British embassy building."

Protesters also attempted to smash the windows of the US embassy:

In Iran, Israeli flags were burned alongside US ones, and women held up anti-Jewish placards:

There were similar scenes in Kut, Iraq:

In Cairo, Egypt, stones were thrown at riot police during clashes near the US embassy. The Muslim Brotherhood withdrew calls for nationwide protests, saying they would instead participate in a "symbolic demonstration".

In Srinagar, in the Kashmir Valley, demonstrations entered their second day today. The video sharing website YouTube has blocked access to the film in India in the hope of restraining the violence.

In Sanaa, Yemen, the US embassy was targeted and security forces fired warning shots and tear gas to disperse the crowds:

In Turkey, prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told protesters that the film should not be used as a pretext for violence, as anti-US slogans were chanted in Beyazit Square in Istanbul:

In Sydney, Australia, there was a small demonstration outside the US Consulate General:

In Palestine, protesters shouted slogans after Friday prayers at Al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem:

In Britain, an American flag was burned in front of the US embassy in London:

(All photos: Getty Images)

39 comments

hugh markey's picture

The Law of Unintended Consequences does exist but it only comes into existence when you think it doesn't apply in your particular case. Damned inconvenient law!
Things do bite back but the Sunnis did appear to have fallen for the West's Divide and Conquer stratagem and with Israel donning on the cloak of invisibility it appeared the majority had fallen for this spoof hook line and sinker.
Isreal's feint at attacking Shialand also seemed to be working. And everyone thought it was a cell phone revolution and a bit of reality television.

Food Riots

Herbert's picture

I sometimes find it difficult to put into words the contempt I feel for these 'believers'. I despise all religions, but how many members of the Monty Python team were threatened with death by Christians (of any brand) because of 'The Life of Brian'? I think it was none.

RBC's picture

In point of fact, films that cleverly lampoon religious intolerance are needed now more than ever.

Another film that is perhaps not as good, is Four Lions.

It is not the faith or belief that these films are lampooning, it is the extremism that can follow.

The whole point of these films is that people should think and make up their own minds, and not be blinded by a priest/imam/guru who dogmatically claims to have all the answers

RBC's picture

The reaction was severe and the film is still banned in some towns in the UK (or at least this was the case as of 2009). However: no riots, no death threats, no deaths etc.

Pavlova's picture

Why are the campaigners for justice staying so steadiy silent about the gross injustice of these protests, riots, attacks and murders?

Malcom Jordan's picture

These Muslim idiots are just showing us how unhinged and dangerously insane they are. This is an over reaction to say the least. They are just proving their detractors are correct in their critisism of these primitives religious imbeciles.
They want freedom to kill maim insult everyone until it comes to them. They are sick brainwashed hypocrites

JJJ's picture

Quite.

RBC's picture

I love it how The New Statesman downplays the severity of the riots in Sydney. Perhaps violent protests like this and calls for people to be beheaded and for non-muslim citizens to be eliminated are common place in the UK, however in Australia it is shocking. Australia had nothing to do with the making of this obnoxious film. (Yes, the film is obnoxious and laughably pitiful, however I support the right of the persons involved to make the film no matter how much disgust it engenders in me). What Australia has always wanted is peace and respect for the law. Migrants of all faiths, ethnic groups, and cultures are welcome in Australia provided that they do now want to turn it into a war zone. If you want to fight a war, then there are plenty of places on the planet you can go and do this. If you want to live in a strict theocratic state, then there are plenty of places you can go and do this. Just don't do it in Australia.

Pavlova's picture

The media really needs to man up in its condemnation of the threats of and actual violence. This behaviour is completely unacceptable no matter what the provocation and the media needs to lend its considerable weight to making that point.

RBC's picture

It is about liberty: the state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one’s behaviour or political views. This includes liberty from those who would impose a theocratic despotism, irrespective of what sort of faith it involved.

Live Free or Die.

RBC's picture

To those who comment on the crusades, one can only point out that the later Muslim conquest of Europe was hardly a humane undertaking. In terms of genocide and death by neglect, person's of the Muslim faith have hardly been the only ones affected by this in the 20th Century, nor was this specifically directed at Muslims because of their faith. Virtually all peoples and cultures on the planet have been subjected to this by product of unrestrained mercenary capitolism (which was the basis for colonialism, neo-colonialism, modern corpratism etc) at some point. Perhaps you should read the real histories of North America, South America, China etc - masacre, starvation, exploitation and death through neglect were (and in many cases still are) commonplace. It was about making money, not about religion or culture. Most of the affected peoples were not of the Muslim faith. This belief that Muslims were somehow singled out is just a historical nonsense that denies the fact that similar events have occurred throughout recorded history to many different peoples. The only answer is: (a) learn some of the real history rather than overdosing on propaganda; (b) all sides in the debate need stop using ancient history to justify acts of barbarism; and (c) Get Over It!

RBC's picture

To those who comment on the crusades, one can only point out that the later Muslim conquest of Europe was hardly a humane undertaking. In terms of genocide and death by neglect, person's of the Muslim faith have hardly been the only ones affected by this in the 20th Century, nor was this specifically directed at Muslims because of their faith. Virtually all peoples and cultures on the planet have been subjected to this by product of unrestrained mercenary capitolism (which was the basis for colonialism, neo-colonialism, modern corpratism etc) at some point. Perhaps you should read the real histories of North America, South America, China etc - masacre, starvation, exploitation and death through neglect were (and in many cases still are) commonplace. It was about making money, not about religion or culture. Most of the affected peoples were not of the Muslim faith. This belief that Muslims were somehow singled out is just a historical nonsense that denies the fact that similar events have occurred throughout recorded history to many different peoples. The only answer is: (a) learn some of the real history rather than overdosing on propaganda; (b) all sides in the debate need stop using ancient history to justify acts of barbarism; and (c) Get Over It!

RBC's picture

To those who comment on the crusades, one can only point out that the later Muslim conquest of Europe was hardly a humane undertaking. In terms of genocide and death by neglect, person's of the Muslim faith have hardly been the only ones affected by this in the 20th Century, nor was this specifically directed at Muslims because of their faith. Virtually all peoples and cultures on the planet have been subjected to this by product of unrestrained mercenary capitolism (which was the basis for colonialism, neo-colonialism, modern corpratism etc) at some point. Perhaps you should read the real histories of North America, South America, China etc - masacre, starvation, exploitation and death through neglect were (and in many cases still are) commonplace. It was about making money, not about religion or culture. Most of the affected peoples were not of the Muslim faith. This belief that Muslims were somehow singled out is just a historical nonsense that denies the fact that similar events have occurred throughout recorded history to many different peoples. The only answer is: (a) learn some of the real history rather than overdosing on propaganda; (b) all sides in the debate need stop using ancient history to justify acts of barbarism; and (c) Get Over It!

adrian stevens's picture

Violence always violence,if you believe in GOD don't let a little critism about your faith evoke aggression,that's why it is called faith!.

Pavlova's picture

No, it's called faith because it's not knowledge.

There is nothing incompatible between faith and violence. Religions were invented to do violence, they are tribal cultures infused with irrationality.

peace1940's picture

Why Muslims are so crossed about an amateur film while saying nothing about hundreds of websites that are trying to invalidate Muhammad, Islam and Qur'an on hourly bases. Websites like banquran.com and why they always blame Jews for everything?

Pavlova's picture

Well at least, unlike The Guardian, you're not aiding and abetting violence against the film makers. They seem to have forgotten what side of the bread their butter is on when it comes to free expression.

Frederick.'s picture

Moslems burn the Star of David and describe this as 'freedom of expression.' Moslems think it hilarious to publish cartoons of hitler in bed with Anne Frank. I demand the freedom to watch 'innocence of Islam' and to burn the racist, homophobic, anti-Jew, anti-Christian, anti-secular Koran.

Armin ius's picture

Israeli settler extremists and IDF soldiers have defiled Christian symbols (such as the St Andrews Cross) in the past, something Zionist puppets have ignored, excused or denied for years. Is this the freedom you wanted?

JJJ's picture

Ah...Zionist puppets. The mind of the antisemite Arminius self-combusts as he begins to digest his twisted logic.

Armin ius's picture

JJJ the Zionist puppet spouts his nonsense bile deluding himself that he is a cut above your average EDL muppet. Ho hum......

jankaas's picture

"I demand the freedom to watch 'innocence of Islam' and to burn the racist, homophobic, anti-Jew, anti-Christian, anti-secular Koran."

well done Frederick, again you confirm you are just as cretinous and infantile as those who burn those flags. would love to see you and 1 of those angry Muslims in a locked room.
maybe Simon Cowell or Endemol can create a show based on this concept..?

JJJ's picture

The point being made by Frederick is that the stench of hypocrisy from the Islamic savages is an affront to any notion of decency. They demand a repression of the freedom of speech yet they have no qualms about using neo-Nazi propaganda in the service of the hatred of Jews.

Armin ius's picture

These nutters on the street can demand what they like but they have no power much the same as the Paki-bashing deadbeats of the EDL. Have a look round at your next EDL meeting and you will see quite a few guys who will sort you out with neo-Nazi propaganda.

JJJ's picture

So the murderous nutters have no power? That is neither here nor there. The Isamist regimes can get a lot of mileage out of using the fanatics to buttress their own 'respectability'.

And I have no wish to attend the EDL's meetings but your own wet dream would have been if the person behind this film had indeed been Israeli or Jewish.

Armin ius's picture

They have no real power and are simply pawns. Once they have served their purpose they will be off the streets in minutes, quicker than a EDL Paki-basher can spell "CS gas".
Ah, so you are a BNP man then. You can still obtain neo-Nazi propaganda at their meetings but since it became a kosher fascist party it is harder to come by.

A. Cole's picture

Muhammed married a 7 year old child named Ayesha. Muhammad was a paedophile!

Armin ius's picture

Edward I of England married a 13 year old Spanish princess. What was your point again?

jankaas's picture

the God of the Old Testament raped a little girl. she gave birth to Jesus.

that would make God a paedophile. no?

Richard Crawford's picture

I think we are talking about betrothal here. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, scumbag.

Richard Crawford's picture

I think we are talking about betrothal here. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, scumbag.

Bolshie Dave's picture

Shame they arnt as outraged at the Syrians massacaring there "Brothers"

Bolshie Dave's picture

Shame they cant spare a little outrage for the massacres of there "Brothers" in Syria

Smelly-Cheese Muslin's picture

The sight of hooded economic vagrants from sand pits offends me.

Gideon Polya's picture

My post was censored out and below is an edited version.

One supposes that Muslim anger at the US and the West that has now boiled over into violent riots is not just about this utterly repugnant and offensive American movie but also about the Zionist-backed US War on Muslims that has killed 12 million Muslims through violence or war-imposed deprivation since 1990. Muslims should eschew violence and join others in resolutely speaking out and informing everyone about the ongoing Muslim Holocaust.

Muslims have been subject to Western-imposed horrendous mass murder events for a thousand years e.g. the mass murder of the people of Jerusalem by the Crusaders on 15 July 1099 - more than 70,000 dead bodies of Muslim children and women were found in the Mosque of Omar in Jerusalem alone. In the13th century the Mongols under Genghis Khan killed millions in Iraq and adjoining. regions. In 1492 millions of Muslims (and Jews) were killed or expelled from Spain, putting an end to the brilliant civilization of Moorish Spain. Millions of Muslims were killed in subsequent centuries due to expansion of the Russian Empire in Asia, the British, French , Spanish and Portuguese Empires in Africa and Asia and the Dutch Empire in South East Asia (principally in what is now Indonesia).

However the lot of Muslims since at the hands of the West since 1945 has involved horrendous colonialism, neo-colonialism, US hegemony and genocide on a huge and bloody scale. According to UN statistics, since 1950 avoidable deaths from imposed deprivation have totalled 1.3 billion for the World, 1.2 billion for the non-European world and 0.6 billion for the Muslim World, a Muslim Holocaust ONE HUNDRED (100) times greater than the WW2 Jewish Holocaust (5-6 million killed, 1 in 6 dying from deprivation) or the “forgotten”
WW2 Bengali Holocaust (6-7 million Indians, half of them Muslims, starved to death by the British under Churchill for strategic reasons, with Australia being complicit through withholding food for starving India from its huge grain stores) (see my books “Body Count. Global avoidable mortality since 1950” and “Jane Austen and the Black Hole of British History”, now both available for free perusal on the Web).

The last 2 decades have seen an horrendous Neocon American and Zionist Imperialist-backed US War on Muslims in which the UK, NATO, Israel and Australia have variously participated and which since 1990 has killed 12 million Muslims through violence or war-imposed deprivation, the breakdown being 0.1 million (Palestinian Genocide; 2 million since 1936), 4.6 million (Iraqi Genocide), 5.6 million (Afghan Genocide), 2.2 million (Somali Genocide), 0.1 million (Libyan Genocide) (for details Google “Muslim Holocaust, Muslim Genocide”).

In 1945 after the WW2 Holocaust (30 million Slavs, Jews and Gypsies killed) the Germans adopted a CAAAA (C4A) protocol of Ceasing the killing, Acknowledgment of the crimes, Apology and Amends for the crimes, and Assertion “never again to anyone”. The countries of the US Alliance involved in the Zionist-backed US War on Muslims need to adopt the same CAAAA protocol and Cease killing Muslims, Acknowledge the Muslim Holocaust, Apologize and make Amends and Assert”never again”. They need to dissociate themselves from the genocidally racist, nuclear terrorist rogue states of the US and Apartheid Israel. Further, the horrendous dimensions of the Muslim Holocaust demand that the Zionists and their supporters should be sidelined in public life as have been racists such as the Nazis, neo-Nazis , Apartheiders and KKK. Peace is the only way but silence kills and silence is complicity – decent people should tell everyone they can.

postmanearnest's picture

excuses excuses

J Sutherland's picture

You should perhaps try and lighten up your posts with a bit of humour - helps get your point across..

Mohamed Porcio's picture

Western-imposed horrendous mass murder events for a thousand years.

Oh yea go and get your medicine nutter.

Stuart Eels's picture

Oh dear what happened to the Arab Spring, the fact is we should just walk away and let them and the Isreali nutters get on with it

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