Death and injury toll rises following film protest

Yemeni protesters try to break through the US embassy Sanaa – Ali Rabea Thousands of Yemenis in several cities denounced the offensive film on Friday that insulted the Prophet, calling the United States of America to apologise and to sue the producers and the actors of the film. The heavy clashes between the rioters and police, lead to the death of one protester and ten injured.
However, Yemeni President Abd Rabo Mansour Hadi, renewed his apology to the American President Barack Obama in a phone call, while Obama stressed that the relationship between the two countries will not be influenced by the current events.
In the same context, the Yemeni authorities imposed a security cordon around Washington’s embassy in Sanaa and closed all the streets leading up to it. The security forces fired live bullets and tear gas towards the protesters, who tried to get close to the surroundings of the embassy after Friday prayer.
The Yemeni security forces were able to disperse the demonstraters before evening. They chased them almost a kilometre inside the residential neighbourhouds in the southern and northern sides of the US embassy in Sanaa.
Medical sources confirmed to Arabstoday that a protester was killed and seven others were wounded. The total number of victims on Thursday and Friday events resulted in five dead and 47 injured.
The Yemeni interior ministry explained that the storming of the American embassy in Sanaa on Thursday led to the death of four people and the injury of 28 others. Ten soldiers belonging to the embassy’s security force were also wounded.
The ministry said on its website that the events created sorrow and led to the damage of 61 cars that belonged to the embassy.
The interior ministry arrested eight people who are under investigation connected to the events. They are aged between 18-30.
Taiz, Aden, Mukalla, Dhamar, Hodeidah and Shabwa, and other Yemeni cities witnessed similar protests to denounce the abuse of the Prophet.
The Friday preacher in Sanaa square criticised the attackers on the American embassy saying: “We support our prophet by following his orders but not by violence and sabotage.”
Protesters belonging to the Shiite’s Houthi group organised a demonstration Friday afternoon in Sanaa to denounce the American film, holding slogans such as, ‘Death to America, Death to Israel, curse the Jews, victory to Islam.’
Military sources affirmed Thursday evening the arrival of 60 American marine soldiers to Sanaa Airport who came to secure and protect the American diplomats and the building of the embassy.
The Yemeni President will visit the US by the end of September as part of his Europe tour. He will also participate in the Friends of Yemen conference in New York.