Lebanese torch Danish consulate over cartoons
BEIRUT, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Muslim demonstrators torched the Danish consulate in Beirut on Sunday to protest the publication by European newspapers of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammad, and Denmark urged its citizens to leave Lebanon.
One protester, among those who set the building on fire, was encircled by flames and died after jumping from the third floor, a senior security official told Reuters.
Thousands of demonstrators, some carrying green Islamic flags, chanted "God is greatest" outside the burning building as thick black smoke billowed into the sky, witnesses said.
They attacked three fire engines to stop them putting out the blaze and some climbed on top of one. They hung a banner at the building's entrance reading: "We are ready to sacrifice our children for you, O Prophet Mohammad."
Security forces arrested more than 60 protesters, a police official said.
The Danish mission's staff left Lebanon on Saturday because they were expecting the protest, a senior security official said. The building also houses the Austrian consulate.
Denmark's Foreign Ministry urged all Danes on Sunday to leave Lebanon and warned its citizens not to travel there.
"Danes should remain indoors until they have figured out a means of leaving," it said in a statement. "The situation in Beirut is not under control."
The uproar over the cartoons, which first appeared in a Danish newspaper and were reprinted in other European countries, has swept across the Muslim world. One image depicted the Prophet Mohammad with a turban resembling a bomb.
Islam forbids any depiction of him.
TEAR GAS
On Saturday Syrians set fire to the Danish and Norwegian embassies in Damascus, damaged the Swedish embassy and tried to storm the French mission but were held off by riot police.
The Scandinavian countries and the United States condemned Syria for failing to protect the embassies.
Security at France's embassies in Syria and Lebanon was strengthened and French people there asked to be prudent, France's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday. A French newspaper was among those to print the cartoons.
Lebanese security forces fired tear gas at a crowd of about 20,000 as it marched towards the Danish consulate.
They fired shots in the air and used water cannon to disperse the protesters, who burned two civil defence vehicles, a police car and an army jeep, witnesses said.
Several Muslim clerics were on the streets urging restraint and asking protesters, who came from across the country, to leave the scene, said a Reuters witness.
Some protesters stoned a Christian Maronite church nearby, according to a police official. A group of Muslim clerics went to the church to apologise, witnesses said.
The protesters also damaged cars and shattered windows of nearby shops and banks in the Christian-dominated area, arousing sectarian tension in a country that has not fully recovered from the 1975-1990 civil war.
Carrying banners that read "Whoever insults Prophet Mohammad is to be killed," they threw stones at the security forces.
The police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there were injuries among demonstrators and security forces. Many suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora condemned the violence.
"This has nothing to do with Islam at all," he told private Future television station. "Destabilising security and vandalism gives a wrong image of Islam. The Prophet Mohammad cannot be defended this way."
Security forces gave way to protesters after trying in vain to block off streets leading to the consulate. Siniora said they had dealt with the protests in the best possible way.
"We either had to open fire on the demonstrators ... or deal with the issue in the way we did," he said. The government will hold an emergency meeting later on Sunday to discuss the violence, he added.
Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabani, Lebanon's top Sunni Muslim cleric, urged restraint. "We do not want the expression of our condemnation to be used by some to portray a distorted image of Islam," he said.
One protester, among those who set the building on fire, was encircled by flames and died after jumping from the third floor, a senior security official told Reuters.
Thousands of demonstrators, some carrying green Islamic flags, chanted "God is greatest" outside the burning building as thick black smoke billowed into the sky, witnesses said.
They attacked three fire engines to stop them putting out the blaze and some climbed on top of one. They hung a banner at the building's entrance reading: "We are ready to sacrifice our children for you, O Prophet Mohammad."
Security forces arrested more than 60 protesters, a police official said.
The Danish mission's staff left Lebanon on Saturday because they were expecting the protest, a senior security official said. The building also houses the Austrian consulate.
Denmark's Foreign Ministry urged all Danes on Sunday to leave Lebanon and warned its citizens not to travel there.
"Danes should remain indoors until they have figured out a means of leaving," it said in a statement. "The situation in Beirut is not under control."
The uproar over the cartoons, which first appeared in a Danish newspaper and were reprinted in other European countries, has swept across the Muslim world. One image depicted the Prophet Mohammad with a turban resembling a bomb.
Islam forbids any depiction of him.
TEAR GAS
On Saturday Syrians set fire to the Danish and Norwegian embassies in Damascus, damaged the Swedish embassy and tried to storm the French mission but were held off by riot police.
The Scandinavian countries and the United States condemned Syria for failing to protect the embassies.
Security at France's embassies in Syria and Lebanon was strengthened and French people there asked to be prudent, France's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday. A French newspaper was among those to print the cartoons.
Lebanese security forces fired tear gas at a crowd of about 20,000 as it marched towards the Danish consulate.
They fired shots in the air and used water cannon to disperse the protesters, who burned two civil defence vehicles, a police car and an army jeep, witnesses said.
Several Muslim clerics were on the streets urging restraint and asking protesters, who came from across the country, to leave the scene, said a Reuters witness.
Some protesters stoned a Christian Maronite church nearby, according to a police official. A group of Muslim clerics went to the church to apologise, witnesses said.
The protesters also damaged cars and shattered windows of nearby shops and banks in the Christian-dominated area, arousing sectarian tension in a country that has not fully recovered from the 1975-1990 civil war.
Carrying banners that read "Whoever insults Prophet Mohammad is to be killed," they threw stones at the security forces.
The police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said there were injuries among demonstrators and security forces. Many suffered from tear gas inhalation.
Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora condemned the violence.
"This has nothing to do with Islam at all," he told private Future television station. "Destabilising security and vandalism gives a wrong image of Islam. The Prophet Mohammad cannot be defended this way."
Security forces gave way to protesters after trying in vain to block off streets leading to the consulate. Siniora said they had dealt with the protests in the best possible way.
"We either had to open fire on the demonstrators ... or deal with the issue in the way we did," he said. The government will hold an emergency meeting later on Sunday to discuss the violence, he added.
Sheikh Mohammad Rashid Qabani, Lebanon's top Sunni Muslim cleric, urged restraint. "We do not want the expression of our condemnation to be used by some to portray a distorted image of Islam," he said.
posted by Marko at 2/05/2006 10:18:00 AM
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