Egyptian protesters scale US Embassy wall in Cairo
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Protesters destroy an American flag pulled down from the US embassy in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, Sept 11, 2012. Egyptian protesters, largely ultra conservative Islamists, have climbed the walls of the US embassy in Cairo, went into the courtyard and brought down the flag, replacing it with a black flag with Islamic inscription, in protest of a film deemed offensive of Islam. -- PHOTO: AP
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Egyptians demonstrate against a film, produced by an expatriate member of Egypt's Christian minority residing in the United States at Cairo, Egypt on Sept 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: DEMOTIX
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A man climbs the wall of the US embassy during a protest in Cairo Sept 11, 2012. Egyptian protesters scaled the walls of the US embassy in Cairo on Tuesday and some pulled down the American flag during a protest over what they said was a film being produced in the US that was insulting to the Prophet Mohammad, witnesses said. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Egyptian riot police stand guard as protesters climb down from the wall of the US embassy in Cairo on Sept 11, 2012 during a demonstration against a film deemed offensive to Islam. -- PHOTO: AFP
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People shout slogans and light flares in front of the US embassy during a protest against what they said was a film being produced in the United States that was insulting to the Prophet Mohammad, in Cairo on Sept 11, 2012. Egyptian protesters scaled the walls of the US embassy in Cairo on Tuesday and some pulled down the American flag during the protest, witnesses said. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
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Egyptian protesters wearing Guy Fawkes masks pose for a photo graffiti on a wall of the US embassy during a protest in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, Sept 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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Egyptian riot police stand guard outside the US embassy in Cairo on Sept 11, 2012 during a demonstration against a film deemed offensive to Islam. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Egyptians protest outside the US embassy in Cairo on Sept 11, 2012 against a film deemed offensive to Islam. Thousands of Egyptian demonstrators angered by the film produced by expatriate members of Egypt's Christian minority resident in the United States, tore down the US flag during the protest at the embassy. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Egyptian protesters raise inside the US embassy a black flag inscribed with the Muslim profession of belief: "There is no God but God and Mohammed is the prophet of God" during a protest against a film deemed offensive to Islam in Cairo on Sept 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
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Protesters chant slogans amid orange smoke outside the US embassy in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, Sept 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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Protesters chant slogans outside the US embassy in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, Sept 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
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An Egyptian protester holds a copy of the Koran and a sign during a protest in front the US embassy in Cairo on Sept 11, 2012. Egyptian protesters scaled the walls of the US embassy on Tuesday, tore down the American flag and burned it during a protest over what they said was a film being produced in the US that insulted Prophet Mohammad. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Protesters destroy an American flag pulled down from the US embassy in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, Sept 11, 2012. Egyptian protesters, largely ultra conservative Islamists, have climbed the walls of the US embassy in Cairo, went into the courtyard and brought down the flag, replacing it with a black flag with Islamic inscription, in protest of a film deemed offensive of Islam. -- PHOTO: AP
Egyptians demonstrate against a film, produced by an expatriate member of Egypt's Christian minority residing in the United States at Cairo, Egypt on Sept 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: DEMOTIX
A man climbs the wall of the US embassy during a protest in Cairo Sept 11, 2012. Egyptian protesters scaled the walls of the US embassy in Cairo on Tuesday and some pulled down the American flag during a protest over what they said was a film being produced in the US that was insulting to the Prophet Mohammad, witnesses said. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Egyptian riot police stand guard as protesters climb down from the wall of the US embassy in Cairo on Sept 11, 2012 during a demonstration against a film deemed offensive to Islam. -- PHOTO: AFP
People shout slogans and light flares in front of the US embassy during a protest against what they said was a film being produced in the United States that was insulting to the Prophet Mohammad, in Cairo on Sept 11, 2012. Egyptian protesters scaled the walls of the US embassy in Cairo on Tuesday and some pulled down the American flag during the protest, witnesses said. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
Egyptian protesters wearing Guy Fawkes masks pose for a photo graffiti on a wall of the US embassy during a protest in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, Sept 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
Egyptian riot police stand guard outside the US embassy in Cairo on Sept 11, 2012 during a demonstration against a film deemed offensive to Islam. -- PHOTO: AFP
Egyptians protest outside the US embassy in Cairo on Sept 11, 2012 against a film deemed offensive to Islam. Thousands of Egyptian demonstrators angered by the film produced by expatriate members of Egypt's Christian minority resident in the United States, tore down the US flag during the protest at the embassy. -- PHOTO: AFP
Egyptian protesters raise inside the US embassy a black flag inscribed with the Muslim profession of belief: "There is no God but God and Mohammed is the prophet of God" during a protest against a film deemed offensive to Islam in Cairo on Sept 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AFP
Protesters chant slogans amid orange smoke outside the US embassy in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, Sept 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
Protesters chant slogans outside the US embassy in Cairo, Egypt, on Tuesday, Sept 11, 2012. -- PHOTO: AP
An Egyptian protester holds a copy of the Koran and a sign during a protest in front the US embassy in Cairo on Sept 11, 2012. Egyptian protesters scaled the walls of the US embassy on Tuesday, tore down the American flag and burned it during a protest over what they said was a film being produced in the US that insulted Prophet Mohammad. -- PHOTO: REUTERS
CAIRO (AP) - Mainly ultraconservative protesters climbed the walls of the United States (US) Embassy in Egypt's capital on Tuesday and brought down the American flag, replacing it with a black Islamist flag to protest a US-produced film attacking the Prophet Muhammad.
Hours later, armed men in eastern Libya also stormed the US consulate there and set it on fire as anger spread.
It was the first time ever that the US Embassy in Cairo has been breached and comes as Egypt is struggling to overcome months of unrest following the ouster of Mr Hosni Mubarak's autocratic regime. US officials said no Americans were reported harmed in the assaults in Cairo or the eastern city of Benghazi.
The unrest in Cairo began when hundreds of protesters marched to the downtown embassy, gathering outside its walls and chanting against the movie and the US.
