A group of protesters in the Serbian capital attacked the United States embassy in Belgrade late Thursday, setting fire to part of the building. Stefan Bos reports for VOA the incident took place after about 150,000 people rallied in the Serbian capital in a rally against Kosovo's independence.

Serbian police confront angry demonstrators in Belgrade, 21 Feb 2008

Riot police in Belgrade were unable to stop angry demonstrators from setting fire to the U.S. embassy, with flames damaging at least one office inside the building.

The incident took place after a smaller group of protesters broke off from a larger demonstration against the recent declaration of independence by the ethnic Albanian majority government in Kosovo, a former province of Serbia.

The attackers, many of them wearing masks, used fire bombs and rocks to attack the building, which was closed earlier this week.

Fire at the U.S. embassy in Belgrade, 21 Feb 2008

Eyewitnesses said at least one protester climbed up to the first floor of the building, ripping the American flag off its pole and briefly putting a Serbian flag in its place. The protesters then burned the American flag before Serb police chased the demonstrators away from the building.

The attack came after a massive demonstration in Belgrade protesting Kosovo's recent declaration of independence, and the decision by the United States and several European countries to recognize the independence move.

A number of the protesters carried signs that read "Stop USA terror."