Indonesian protesters trample US flag, throw eggs

Police outside the consulate in the city of Medan, capital of the North Sumatra province, pushed back the protesters from the Indonesian Muslim Student Action Union (KAMMI) when they tried to enter the mission.

"We condemn the film that insults the Prophet Mohammed, and which is hurtful to Muslims around the world. Crush America," a protester told the crowd, who shouted "Allahu akbar!" (God is greater).

Some demonstrators carried banners reading "death to the filmmaker" and "America is a terrorist that threatens world peace."

The low-budget movie, entitled "Innocence of Muslims", has sparked fury across the Islamic world for mocking the Prophet Mohammed, and for portraying Muslims as immoral and gratuitously violent.

Hundreds of Indonesians staged rallies against the United States on Friday and Saturday over the film. The hardline Islamic Defenders Front also planned a protest outside the US Embassy in the Indonesian capital Jakarta later Monday.

The mission in Medan is formally referred to as an American Presence Post, which is part of the US Embassy in Jakarta but does not provide full consular services.

Indonesia's Communications and Information Ministry spokesman Gatot Dewa Broto told AFP on Sunday that YouTube's parent company Google had begun restricting access to videos of the film in the world's most populous Muslim nation. But the videos could still be viewed on Monday.

"We understand that it takes time for Google to block everything as people continue to upload those sensitive videos. We appreciate Google's cooperation," Broto said.

Google has denied access to the video in Libya, Egypt, India and Malaysia.