Protestors attack US consulate in Chennai

The United States consulate in Chennai was attacked on Friday evening by an angry mob protesting the controversial anti-Islam video, which has led to similar attacks against US consulates in Cairo, Egypt; Benghazi, Libya; Sanaa, Yemen; and Tunis, Tunisia.

More than 500 angry protestors owing allegiance to the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam gathered near the US consulate in Chennai to condemn the video.

They shouted anti-US slogans, burnt US flags and pelted stones at the building, damaging the security cabin at the main entrance to the consulate.

The cabin at the entrance of the visa section was also damaged. Most of the glass structures outside the building were damaged and there was glass everywhere.

Some protestors climbed the compound wall in an attempt to enter the consulate. They damaged some of the electrical fixtures, CCTV cameras. No one was injured in the attack.

Friday's incident came a day after Socialist Democratic Party of India activists staged a demonstration on Thursday evening outside the US consulate.

Only 20-odd policemen were deployed in the area on Friday evening and they were taken by surprise when the protestors started pelting stones at the consulate.

What is also surprising is that the protestors were permitted to come close to the consulate building.

Scores of protestors were virtually at the doorstep of the consulate, trying to break in.

Traffic on Anna Salai, the arterial road in Chennai where the consulate is located, was held up for quite some time as a result of the volatile situation.