US consulate shut amid film protests

on 19/09/2012 09:02:45

The US has temporarily closed its consulate in Indonesia's third-largest city due to ongoing protests over an anti-Islam film produced in America.

About 300 members of the pan-Islamic movement Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia rallied in front of the consulate in Medan, the capital of North Sumatra province, this morning.

Later, about 50 Muslim students also protested there.

Both groups called on Washington to punish the makers of the film, Innocence Of Muslims.
It was the third consecutive day of protests in Medan.

The US Embassy in the Indonesian capital, Jakarta, sent a text message to US citizens saying the consulate has been closed temporarily because of the demonstrations.

Today's protests at the consulate were peaceful.

On Monday, protesters hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails outside the embassy in Jakarta.