Egypt’s presidential spokesman says the breaching of the US embassy in Cairo during protests over a film deemed offensive to Islam was “unjustified’’, denouncing it in the strongest words to date to come from the nation’s highest office.
Spokesman Yasser Ali’s comments seem aimed to defuse the criticism of President Mohammed Mursi, who condemned the breaching of the mission’s perimeter only two days afterward, leading to tension with Washington.
Scores of Egyptian protesters scaled the embassy walls on Tuesday and entered its courtyard, tearing down the US flag.
Hours later, attackers in Libya killed four diplomats, including the ambassador, in an assault on the Benghazi consulate.
After three days of clashes in Cairo, authorities blocked off the embassy’s street with a concrete wall. The visa section had remained closed yesterday despite earlier plans to reopen.