Belgrade Calmer After Rioting Thursday

BELGRADE, Serbia (AP) — The streets of Serbia’s capital, Belgrade, are clean of debris Friday but a McDonalds still smolders from a fire set during the previous day’s mob violence. And Serbian police are guarding the American and other Western embassies.

People protesting Kosovo independence set fires inside the U.S. compound, denouncing American support. The former Serbian province declared independence Sunday and has been recognized by the U.S. and more than a dozen other nations, including Britain, France and Germany.

More than 200,000 people took part in Thursday’s protests in Belgrade. At least 150 were injured and more than 100 arrested.

The Bush administration has denounced the Embassy attack as “intolerable.” White House Press Secretary Dana Perino says it was carried out by “thugs.” Secretary of State Rice has fired off a protest, saying Serbia’s government needs to stop anything that could incite violence.