Anti-U.S. protests in the Arab world: What's next?

Muslim anger continues to simmer over an amateurish, mysterious, American-made video insulting the Prophet Mohammad. What's going to be the fallout?

Palestinians burn U.S. flags during a protest on Sept. 14 against a U.S.-made online film that insults Prophet Mohammad.
(Image credit: REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustaf)

The U.S. has stepped up security at its embassies across the Middle East, bracing for a fourth day of protests stoked by an online movie trailer mocking Islam's Prophet Mohammad. Egyptian police in riot gear, anticipating swelling crowds after Friday's Muslim prayers, blocked roads to the U.S. Embassy in Cairo and clashed with rock-throwing demonstrators. The Islamist group Muslim Brotherhood called for a "million-man march" in the city to protest the obscure, anti-Islam film. Libyan authorities have arrested four suspects allegedly involved in an assault that killed four people, including Ambassador Chris Stevens, at the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi. In the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, where four people died Thursday when police repelled protesters trying to storm the U.S. Embassy, security forces blocked streets surrounding the U.S. mission as demonstrators gathered again early Friday. Leaders in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, and Afghanistan tried to keep a lid on protests in their countries by blocking the YouTube video fueling demonstrators' anger. How far will the protests go, and where will they lead? Here, three repercussions from the widening turmoil:

1. Islamists are fighting for power

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us