The trouble in Lebanon threatened to take a sectarian spin as protesters stoned the nearby St. Maroun Church, one of the city’s main Maronite Catholic churches, and private property in Ashrafieh, a Christian area near Beirut’s commercial district.  Demonstrations caused major damage in Achrafieh.  Many cars and businesses were shattered by the demonstrators on their way to the Danish Embassy. Liberately St Maron Church and the Greek Orthodox bishopric were also severely vandalized. As an answer to these terrible attacks, Lebanese citizens in the city of Kahaleh closed the roads to forbid demonstrators to create further wreckage.  In addition, the Free Patriotic Movement is organizing a demonstration in front of St Maron church at 6 PM.

The demonstrators also attacked policemen with stones and set fire to several fire engines, witnesses said. Black smoke was seen billowing from the area. They also burned Danish flags.

Muslim clerics were seen trying to stop the protesters.

Justice Minister Charles Rizk, speaking on LBC television, called on those who hold influence with the protesters to help end the upheaval.

"What is the guilt of the citizens of Ashrafieh of caricatures that were published in Denmark? This sabotage should stop," said Rizk, a Christian.

Any tension with sectarian flavor is a sensitive issue in Lebanon, where Muslims and Christian fought a 15-year civil war that ended in 1990.