Police in Sudan's capital have clashed with thousands of protesters heading toward the U.S. embassy.

Witnesses said police fired tear gas at the demonstrators, who are protesting a film made in the U.S. deemed offensive to Muslims and the Prophet Muhammad.

An embassy employee told VOA the embassy is being protected by more than 200 Sudanese SWAT team police officers.

Earlier, thousands of protesters stormed the British and German embassies in Khartoum. A mob that broke into the German embassy replaced a German flag with an Islamic banner and set fires in the building.

The German foreign ministry says all staff members are safe and accounted for.

In a televised address Friday, German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle condemned the film that triggered this week's protests but said it is no justification for violence.

Earlier this week, the U.S. embassy in Sudan issued a warning about protests and advised Americans not to visit the embassy.