Philippine police beef up security for Danish

Security was tightened Wednesday at Denmark's honorary consulate and Norway's Embassy in Manila in anticipation of more protests over caricatures of the Prophet Muhammad, officials said.

Photo: Philippine police beef up security for Danish

A day after hundreds of protesters in the southern Philippines burned a Danish flag, Metropolitan Manila police chief Vidal Querol appealed to Filipino Muslims to remain calm.

He said he ordered tighter security at the two missions "in the wake of agitation by our Muslim brothers" over the cartoons, which were first published in a Danish newspaper, and later in several other countries including Norway.

"I appeal to the Muslim leaders here in Manila for calm and sobriety and not to stoke the flames of hatred or anger," Querol said.

He said the stepped-up security measures, including checkpoints and additional police personnel, were made in consultation with diplomats from the two countries.

A police official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the information, said intelligence reports indicated Muslim protesters plan to burn more Danish flags in front of the country's honorary consulate in Manila's Makati financial district.

The honorary consul is a Filipino who provides general information and consular assistance, while diplomatic affairs for Denmark are handled by the Norwegian Embassy, also in Makati, reports the AP.

I.L.