Eight Islam film protestors injured in Pakistan: police

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InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5

KARACHI -- At least eight people were injured after protestors denouncing an anti-Islam film clashed with police outside the US consulate in Pakistan's port city of Karachi, officials said.

Police fired bullets in the air and used tear gas and water canons to disperse some 1,000 people at a rally organised by Majlis-e-Wahadatul Muslimeen, a Shiite religious organisation, according to an AFP photographer.

At one stage protestors broke through security cordons and got close to the heavily guarded US consulate, pelting stones at the building.

They chanted "Down with America", "We will sacrifice our lives to safeguard the honour of the Prophet" and "Hang the film maker."

"The clashes left eight people injured," city police chief Iqbal Mehmood told AFP, adding that at least 20 people were arrested.

Another senior local police official, Asif Ijaz told AFP: "The police had to fire tear gas shells after the protestors refused to pay any heed to our warning."

Richard Silver, a spokesman for the US consulate, said: "There has been no damage or injury to any of our personnel at the consulate."

The latest protest came two days after hundreds of people demonstrated in cities around Pakistan to denounce the movie.

The low-budget movie, entitled "Innocence of Muslims", has sparked fury across the Muslim world. It pokes fun at the Prophet Mohammed and touches on themes of paedophilia and homosexuality, while showing him sleeping with women.

Police beefed up security around US missions in Pakistan after violent attacks on American consulates and embassies in Egypt, Libya and Yemen this week.

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