<p>The US consulate office in Chennai came under a sudden attack on Friday evening, with several hundred members and volunteers of a Muslim outfit, Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK), suddenly turning violent while protesting against a film made in the US mocking Prophet Mohammed.<br /><br /></p>.<p>As the TMMK men came marching towards the consulate near Gemini Circle in the heart of the city, a section of them turned violent and pelted stones towards its building, smashing some glass panes and a surveillance camera placed outside in the process, police sources said.<br /><br />The protestors, shouting slogans against the American president Barack Obama, demanded action against the film-maker. <br /><br />Tension was triggered after several protesters attempted to scale the high consulate building wall, triggering tension in the area. <br /><br />The US flag and an effigy of Obama were also burnt by the protesters. The unseemly incident came as an offshoot of the nightmarish developments in Libya where the US envoy to that country was killed on the anniversary of 9/11.<br /><br />Protesters held<br /><br />However, the police dispersed the crowd from the area and took several of them into custody. <br /><br />“We have secured several people (of the TMMK) and are verifying (details) about them,” said Chennai Police Commissioner J K Tripathy. The exact number of arrests would be known later in the night, he said, adding, security has been tightened in the area.<br /><br />A spokesman of the US consulate later said in a statement: “at 1615 hours, protesters arrived at the US consulate in Chennai. They threw stones, causing damage to perimeter walls. There were no injuries. All our staff is safe,” he said. <br /></p>
<p>The US consulate office in Chennai came under a sudden attack on Friday evening, with several hundred members and volunteers of a Muslim outfit, Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam (TMMK), suddenly turning violent while protesting against a film made in the US mocking Prophet Mohammed.<br /><br /></p>.<p>As the TMMK men came marching towards the consulate near Gemini Circle in the heart of the city, a section of them turned violent and pelted stones towards its building, smashing some glass panes and a surveillance camera placed outside in the process, police sources said.<br /><br />The protestors, shouting slogans against the American president Barack Obama, demanded action against the film-maker. <br /><br />Tension was triggered after several protesters attempted to scale the high consulate building wall, triggering tension in the area. <br /><br />The US flag and an effigy of Obama were also burnt by the protesters. The unseemly incident came as an offshoot of the nightmarish developments in Libya where the US envoy to that country was killed on the anniversary of 9/11.<br /><br />Protesters held<br /><br />However, the police dispersed the crowd from the area and took several of them into custody. <br /><br />“We have secured several people (of the TMMK) and are verifying (details) about them,” said Chennai Police Commissioner J K Tripathy. The exact number of arrests would be known later in the night, he said, adding, security has been tightened in the area.<br /><br />A spokesman of the US consulate later said in a statement: “at 1615 hours, protesters arrived at the US consulate in Chennai. They threw stones, causing damage to perimeter walls. There were no injuries. All our staff is safe,” he said. <br /></p>
