Lebanese hold anti-US rallies over anti-Islam film
Thousands of Lebanese have rallied to express their anger over a US-made film and French cartoons insulting Islam’s Prophet Muhammad (PBUH).
Protest rallies were held in several cities, including Sidon, Beirut and Baalbek, after the Friday Prayers.
In the eastern city of Baalbek, thousands of people took to the streets to condemn the blasphemous acts. The demonstration was organized by Hezbollah resistance movement and was held under the slogan "Loyalty to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)".
A large number of Christians also took part in the protest rally and the chairman of Hezbollah legal board Sheikh Muhammad Yazbek delivered a speech.
"Death to America" and "America, You Great Satan," the demonstrators chanted.
In the southern city of Sidon, hundreds of protesters gathered outside a mosque and burned US and Israeli flags while chanting "Death to America, death to Israel!"
Lebanese protesters also burned US and Israeli flags in the capital, Beirut, a few miles away from the French Embassy.
Security has been stepped up at France's interests in Lebanon after the publication of cartoons of Islam's prophet in a French magazine on Wednesday. French schools and institutions in some 20 countries, including Egypt, Indonesia, Lebanon and Tunisia, were closed on Friday as a precaution.
On Sunday, Hezbollah leader Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah called for a week of anti-US protests across Lebanon over the insulting film, which he described as "the worst attack ever on Islam".
The movie has sparked anti-US protests across the world, including Pakistan, Afghanistan Yemen, Indonesia, Sudan, Egypt and many other countries.
Source: presstv.com
