A film being produced by a small production company in the US sparked rioting at the US Embassy in Cairo. Egyptian protesters climbed the walls of the embassy, tore down and burned the American flag, and replaced it with a black flag depicting the phrase “There is no God but God, and Muhammad is his messenger.”
The film, parts of which were made available on Youtube yesterday, allegedly has scenes depicting the prophet Muhammed as a promiscuous and violent child molester. The film was written, directed, and produced by Israeli-American real-estate developer Sam Bacile.
Approximately 20 people scaled the embassy walls while another 2,000 gathered outside of the complex. Most demonstrators were reportedly supporters of various Islamist groups or “ultras,” hardcore soccer supporters.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton responded to protests, stating, “Some have sought to justify this vicious behavior as a response to inflammatory material posted on the Internet.” She stressed that “The United States deplores any intentional effort to denigrate the religious beliefs of others. Our commitment to religious tolerance goes back to the very beginning of our nation.”