Muslim party members attack US consulate, pelt stones

Chennai: Activists of a Muslim party picketed the American consulate in Chennai on Friday and pelted stones at it protesting against a controversial film deemed to be offensive of Islam.

Slogan-shouting Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam activists used logs besides stones to damage window panes of a structure in the front of the heavily fortified consulate, police said.

Scores of TMMK activists were detained, police said.

The incident prompted city police to review the situation and step up security for the US consulate.

While initially police managed to prevent activists from picketing the consulate, their numbers swelled later, allowing them to get closer to the building, police said.

The incident prompted city police to review the situation and step up security for the consulate located on the arterial Anna Salai, where the protest threw traffic out of gear.

Security has been stepped up for the mission, said Chennai Police Commissioner J K Tripathy.

Officials at the US Consulate said all the staff were safe.

"The protestors came around 4.15 pm and threw stones at the Consulate, damaging the perimeter wall. All the staff members are safe," a Consulate spokesperson said.

TMMK president J S Ribayee said in a statement the picketing was to register their protest against the film.

Anti-US protests have broken out in several countries with Muslims angered by the movie taking to streets.

Anti-US protests have erupted in several countries over the controversial film. US Ambassador to Libya, Christopher Stevens, along with three other Americans was killed when a mob attacked a consular office at Benghazhi in that country on Tuesday night.

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