What happened in Damascus today is just shameful. I had expected the protest to be peaceful and civilized. Mobs ran into the streets, shouted and attacked embassies, without realizing the severity of the damage they inflicted to "their" cause and to Islam's image. Mobs controlled the protests today, and people who were there to peacefully protest were shocked and had to hide in their homes. I felt a bitter disappointment. Having expressed my opinion about the cartoon controversy, I must stress again that I am against any form of violence or vandalism. I think we owe the Danes and the Norwegians an apology. The people who disgraced us today do not represent Syria.

More pictures from today's protests