PAKISTAN: “Police should get out of the way and let us demolish the U.S. Embassy because Americans have blasphemed against our holy prophet”

To shouts of “Kill the filmmaker,” 5,000+ foaming-at-mouth, wild-eyed Muslims began a new round of riots in Pakistan, Thursday. And just think, the Pakistani government has declared Friday a national holiday so more Muslims could come out en masse to riot over ‘Innocence of Muslims’ film.

Reports said police and students were injured in the protests over the video entitled 'Innocence of Muslims' [AFP]

The US embassy in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, has become the latest target of protesters angry at an anti-Islam video that triggered protests in the Arab and Muslim world. 

“We will make known it by burning the effigy of Obama and his allies that a blasphemer deserves to be burnt to death,” said Maulana Mehmood ul Hassan Ashraf, secretary general of Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam.

The total number of protesters reached around 5,000 later with the arrival of protesters carrying the flags of hardline Islamist groups. At least 50 people were injured as police fired tear gas and live rounds towards the crowds.

Hundreds of students from various colleges and educational institutions in Islamabad had begun clashing with police as security forces tried to block them from reaching the embassy compoud, which also includes the British and French diplomatic missions.

The students responded by pelting the police with stones, and the police retaliated by firing tear gas shells.

Large protests are expected on Friday, the weekly Islamic day of prayer, which has been declared a special public holiday in Pakistan.