10 toon protestors killed in Libya
10 toon protestors killed in Libya
It was the first action against Italian interests in a Muslim country since protests began against Mohammed caricatures.

New Delhi: Ten people are dead and more than 50 injured in a protest over an Italian minister wearing cartoons of Prophet Mohammad on his T-shirt.

Despite police efforts to hold them back, some protestors set fire to the building housing the Italian consulate on Friday.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has asked Cabinet member Roberto Calderoli to resign over his wearing T-shirts displaying controversial cartoons of Prophet Mohammad.

Calderoli has frequently attacked Islam in recent weeks. Berlusconi said Calderoli should resign for wearing a T-shirt bearing the Mohammed cartoons.

Police sources said a group split off from the main demonstration in downtown Benghazi and headed for the consulate bearing banners with Islamist slogans.

Some of the marchers shouted slogans against the Libyan regime of Colonel Moamer Kadhafi, according to witnesses.

"A large number of police vehicles was sent to the scene to encircle and contain the demonstrators, but some managed to get through the barrier and got into the consular building which they set alight," police said.

An official statement issued after the demonstration said: "Libya denounces and stigmatises what an irresponsible group did on Friday and which in no way reflects the feelings of the Libyan people."

(With AFP inputs)

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