Apprehending spread of anti-US protests after weekly Friday prayers today over a film deemed offensive to Islam, the Obama Administration said that it has beefed up security of its missions across the globe and was closely monitoring the situation.
“We are monitoring the situation and the security of our embassies and our facilities and our personnel around the world,” White House Press Secretary Jay Carney told reporters abroad Air Force One.
Mr Carney’s remarks came as waves of anti-US protests continue throughout the Muslim world, with demonstrators displaying fury over a film made by Israeli-American Sam Bacile that deemed offensive to Islam.
The demonstrators in Libya attacked the US consulate building in the city of Benghazi on Tuesday, killing American Ambassador and three other consulate staff. The protests have spread to Egypt, Yemen, Tunisia, Iraq and other countries.
“It is important to note that as these protests are taking place in different countries around the world, responding to the movie, that Friday, has historically been a day when there are protests in the Muslim world,” he said.
“We are watching very closely for developments that could lead to more protests. We anticipate that they may continue,” Mr Carney said.
The protests being seen around the region are in reaction to this movie, he said.
“They (protests) are not directly in reaction to any policy of the United States or the government of the United States or the people of the United States,” he said.
“Any violence associated with the offense taken by the movie, of course, is unjustified, as we’ve made clear,” Mr Carney said.
