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'Nine die' in Libya cartoon clash
It just keeps going and going. At least nine people are reported to have been killed and several injured in clashes during a protest outside an Italian consulate in Libya. Riot police confronted hundreds of protesters as they stormed the building in the city of Benghazi, in the latest protests over the Muhammad cartoons. They were said to be angry at recent remarks - deemed to be anti-Islamic - by Italian minister Roberto Calderoli. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has called for his resignation. He said Mr Calderoli - of the anti-immigrant Northern League party - should step down for announcing he would start wearing a T-shirt bearing the controversial cartoons, which were first printed by a Danish newspaper. Italian consular official, Antonio Simoes-Concalves, said nine protesters had been killed and several more had been wounded. Speaking on the telephone, he told the Associated Press news agency in Rome that the Libyan police had used teargas and fired bullets, but were unable to control a 1,000-strong crowd. "They are still continually firing," he said at 2100 GMT, from inside the consulate where he was barricaded. "They haven't managed to block them." The protesters set fire to the Italian consulate building after breaking into the grounds. State television showed firefighters trying to extinguish the flames. Stones were thrown at the building and nearby cars were badly damaged. Television footage showed ambulances taking casualties away from the scene. Libyan officials said there were 11 casualties, which included some dead. Posted by: phil_b 2006-02-17 |
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