Pro-regime demonstrators attack U.S., French embassies in Damascus

PanARMENIAN.Net - Supporters of the regime of Bashar al-Assad have launched attacks on the American and French embassies in Damascus amid large pro-regime demonstrations in Syria’s capital.

Witnesses reported two regime supporters attempting to break into the French embassy in the upscale Abu Romaneh district, forcing Syrian guards to fire into the air to deter them. US diplomats said the nearby US embassy was also attacked, with windows smashed and a Syrian flag raised.

Earlier, hundreds had demonstrated outside both embassies in protest at visits by ambassadors to the city of Hama last week to observe protests. The Syrian regime has sought to portray the recent visits by Robert Ford, US ambassador, and his French counterpart, Eric Chevallier, as evidence of foreign efforts to destabilise the country.

The pro-regime demonstrations appeared state-sanctioned, with traffic police clearing the streets of cars, and security men in riot gear present, but not intervening. The demonstrators waved flags, banners and portraits of President Assad, chanting pro-regime slogans. But despite a carnival atmosphere at many pro-regime demonstrations in recent days, these appeared angrier and more defiant.

Others carried rocks and glass bottles along with their banners. On Sunday the US ambassador called on the government to stop inciting demonstrators, who he said had thrown rocks, eggs and tomatoes at the embassy, “causing some damage”.

Despite the show of strength anti-regime protests have continued in other parts of the country, with protestors in the capital itself also appearing bolder. Sunday night saw a rare protest in Damascus’s historic Old City, with witnesses reporting hundreds gathering to chant anti-regime slogans and call for “no dialogue with the killers”. Activists have voiced their opposition to government plans for a ‘national dialogue’ with opposition figures, which saw its first meeting conclude on Monday.

Security men and pro-regime gangs in buses quickly arrived to disperse the crowds, a witness said, beating protestors with batons. There have been a number of small and sporadic anti-regime protests in Damascus in recent days, despite government-organised events designed to show the support the regime enjoys in the capital. A number of central neighbourhoods have seen small protests, in addition to much larger and regular gatherings in the southern district of Midan, FT reported.