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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Afghanistan protests against anti-Islam film turn violent | Afghanistan protests against anti-Islam film turn violent |
| (about 1 month later) | |
| Violent rage over an anti-Islam film has spread to Kabul, with hundreds of people taking to the city's streets, where they burned tyres and a car, and attacked police and a US base with stones. | Violent rage over an anti-Islam film has spread to Kabul, with hundreds of people taking to the city's streets, where they burned tyres and a car, and attacked police and a US base with stones. |
| It was the fourth day of protests in Afghanistan, but they had been largely peaceful until Monday, with the capital spared the rioting that spread across the Middle East in response to Innocence of Muslims, a film that denigrates Islam and the prophet Muhammad. | It was the fourth day of protests in Afghanistan, but they had been largely peaceful until Monday, with the capital spared the rioting that spread across the Middle East in response to Innocence of Muslims, a film that denigrates Islam and the prophet Muhammad. |
| "The people are going to raise their voice to show we are not silent. With the last breath in our body we will be against those who are insulting to our religion and prophet," said Haji Samar Gul, an 80-year-old protester at the Kabul demonstration. "We shouted death to America, death to supporters of America, death to slaves of America." | "The people are going to raise their voice to show we are not silent. With the last breath in our body we will be against those who are insulting to our religion and prophet," said Haji Samar Gul, an 80-year-old protester at the Kabul demonstration. "We shouted death to America, death to supporters of America, death to slaves of America." |
| A few protesters carried guns, and eyewitnesses claimed they opened fire several times, but police said they resisted responding with their own weapons even though officers were injured by rocks. | A few protesters carried guns, and eyewitnesses claimed they opened fire several times, but police said they resisted responding with their own weapons even though officers were injured by rocks. |
| "The police did not open fire at all, we used other techniques to control the protest," said the city police chief, Ayub Salangi, who was among those hit by the protesters. | "The police did not open fire at all, we used other techniques to control the protest," said the city police chief, Ayub Salangi, who was among those hit by the protesters. |
| "There were protests in four places around the city; more than 2,500 people participated. The police managed to control them, although they burned one vehicle." | "There were protests in four places around the city; more than 2,500 people participated. The police managed to control them, although they burned one vehicle." |
| The groups gathered as early as 6am, with some protesters coming from villages on the city outskirts. | The groups gathered as early as 6am, with some protesters coming from villages on the city outskirts. |
| "I joined with them because I thought it was my duty as a Muslim to condemn those who made this film," said Waleed Khan, a 35-year-old from eastern Paktia, where insurgent violence is much higher than in the relatively secure capital. | "I joined with them because I thought it was my duty as a Muslim to condemn those who made this film," said Waleed Khan, a 35-year-old from eastern Paktia, where insurgent violence is much higher than in the relatively secure capital. |
| "My relatives who are in Paktia were filled with anti-government and anti-American feeling when they heard about this film," he added. | "My relatives who are in Paktia were filled with anti-government and anti-American feeling when they heard about this film," he added. |
| Fire engines stood by to douse flames, including in one shop that was set on fire, but the protests appear to have ended without deaths or significant injuries, unlike previous violent protests against the burning of copies of the Qur'an by a US pastor and US troops, when several people died. | Fire engines stood by to douse flames, including in one shop that was set on fire, but the protests appear to have ended without deaths or significant injuries, unlike previous violent protests against the burning of copies of the Qur'an by a US pastor and US troops, when several people died. |
| Many of those killed then are believed to have been hit by police bullets, and human rights groups said the decision to hold fire, if confirmed, was unprecedented and encouraging. | Many of those killed then are believed to have been hit by police bullets, and human rights groups said the decision to hold fire, if confirmed, was unprecedented and encouraging. |
| "The Afghan police, who in the past have often responded to unruly crowds with gunfire, seem to have taken a much more restrained and professional approach today," said Heather Barr, Afghanistan analyst at Human Rights Watch. | "The Afghan police, who in the past have often responded to unruly crowds with gunfire, seem to have taken a much more restrained and professional approach today," said Heather Barr, Afghanistan analyst at Human Rights Watch. |
| "Police reportedly did not open fire on protesters and used crowd control techniques instead. If this is true, it represents an important improvement in Afghan policing and the police leadership deserve appreciation for defusing what could have been an incident with a significant body count." | "Police reportedly did not open fire on protesters and used crowd control techniques instead. If this is true, it represents an important improvement in Afghan policing and the police leadership deserve appreciation for defusing what could have been an incident with a significant body count." |
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