Reuters/Cairo


Protesters destroy an American flag pulled down from the US embassy in Cairo yesterday

Egyptian protesters scaled the walls of the US embassy yesterday, 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 Muhammad.
In place of the US flag, the protesters tried to raise a black flag with the words “There is no God but God, and Muhammad is his messenger”, a Reuters witness said.
Once the US flag was hauled down, some protesters tore it up and showed off pieces to television cameras. Others burned the remains outside the fortress-like embassy building in central Cairo. But some protesters objected to the flag burning.
“This movie must be banned immediately and an apology should be made,” said 19-year-old Ismail Mahmoud, a member of the so-called “ultras” soccer supporters who played a big role in the uprising that brought down Hosni Mubarak last year.
He called on President Mohamed Mursi, Egypt’s first civilian president and an Islamist, to take action, without giving details of the film that angered him or other protesters.
About 20 people stood on top of the embassy wall, while about 2,000 protesters gathered outside. The demonstrators were mainly supporters of Islamist groups or “ultras” youths.
Rafik Farouk, 38, an Egyptian Christian, also took part. “I am here because I am Egyptian and reject anything that insults Islam or anything that sparks division in Egypt,” he said.
Washington has a big mission in Egypt, partly because of a huge aid programme that followed Egypt’s signing of a peace treaty with Israel in 1979. The US gives $1.3bn to Egypt’s military each year and offers the nation other aid. US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland in Washington said the wall was breached and the flag removed.
“We are obviously working with Egyptian security to try to restore order at the embassy and to work with them to try to get the situation under control,” she said.
Following the protest, Egypt’s foreign ministry said it was committed to giving all embassies the necessary protection.
The US embassy had put out a statement earlier yesterday condemning “misguided individuals” who hurt the religious feelings of Muslims or followers of other religions.
“We firmly reject the actions by those who abuse the universal right of free speech to hurt the religious beliefs of others,” the US embassy said in its statement.