Thick smoke rising from three-story embassy building in Damascus

The setting-fire to the Danish Embassy in Damascus today follows near-daily demonstrations outside the Danish Embassy there since the furore over drawings depicting the Prophet Mohammed broke out last week.

Today’s protest started out peacefully but as anger escalated, protesters broke through police barriers and torched the building, the witnesses said.

The cartoons, first printed in Denmark and then published elsewhere in Europe, have touched a raw nerve in the Arab and Islamic world, in part because Islamic law is interpreted to forbid any depiction of the Prophet Mohammed, favourable or otherwise. Aggravating the affront was one caricature of Mohammed wearing a turban shaped as a bomb with a burning fuse.

The Danish government has expressed regret for the furore, but refused to become involved, citing freedom of expression.

Thick, black smoke is still rising from the three-storey building as firefighters struggled to put out the flames.

Demonstrators had broken through police barriers and used the concrete barricades protecting the embassy as ladders to climb inside the building and set it on fire.

“With our blood and souls we defend you, O Prophet of God,” they chanted.

Some removed the Danish flag and replaced it with a green flag printed with the words: “There is no god but God and Mohammed is the messenger of God.”

Ambulances rushed to the scene and dozens of policemen stood guard, trying to keep the protesters away from the building.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

Spokespeople for Danish and Swedish foreign ministries could not immediately be reached for comment.