Security forces fire warning shots against protesters

2012-09-14 173

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STORY: Security forces in Yemen fired warning shots and used water cannons against hundreds of protesters near the U.S. embassy in Sanaa on Friday, a day after demonstrators angered by a film deemed blasphemous to Islam stormed the fortified compound.

Early on Friday, military police and the Yemeni army had blocked off all streets leading to the U.S. embassy, but demonstrators still gathered, brandishing placards and shouting slogans against the film.

Local media reported on Friday that a group of U.S. marines had flown into Sanaa's international airport on Thursday to bolster the embassy's security. A spokesman for the U.S. embassy in Sanaa declined to comment on the reports.

At least one person died and 15 were injured at Thursday's demonstration, which started as a peaceful march but quickly turned violent when protesters threw stones and placards before attacking the security offices and the compound.

No U.S. embassy staff were hurt, but Yemen's President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi condemned the attack, saying Yemen would launch an investigation.

The embassy told U.S. citizens it expected more protests against the film and that it would be closing its consular services on Saturday.