A Lebanese judge charged Monday 45 individuals with torching the American fast-food chain restaurant KFC in Tripoli, north Lebanon, during a recent protest against an anti-Islam film in the city.
Military Prosecutor Saqr Saqr charged the men, 15 of whom are already in custody, with setting ablaze the KFC establishment in Tripoli during a Sept. 14 protest in which stone-throwing demonstrators condemned “Innocence of Islam,” a film that originated in the U.S. that insults the Prophet Mohammad.
One protester was killed and 27 people, including 12 policemen and a Lebanese Army soldier were wounded, when demonstrators clashed with security forces following Friday prayers.
Saqr also charged the suspects with severely roughing up policemen and threatening them with wooden sticks and daggers as well as destroying police vehicles.
U.S. food chain Hardee’s was also set ablaze in the incident.
