Tunis — The Tunisian Industry, Trade and Handicrafts Union (UTICA) denounced, on Sunday, the attack on Islam and Prophet Mohamed and "firmly" condemned the acts of violence perpetrated against the U.S. diplomatic mission to Tunisia, following the release on line of an excerpt of the anti-Islam film "The innocence of Muslims."

Hundreds of protestors outraged at the film screening, attacked, on Friday, the U.S. Embassy in Tunis and managed to gain access to its grounds. The violent clashes between the security forces and protestors killed 4 people and wounded about fifty, according to the last toll.

"These acts of violence perpetrated against public and private properties and foreign residents in Tunisia are unacceptable and will harm Tunisia's image," reads a communiqué of UTICA, a copy of which was sent to TAP news agency on Sunday.

"The Union advocates the freedom of expression and respects peaceful protest staged under the law, but condemns all form of violence as a means of protest," UTICA asserts.

It calls, in this regard, upon all stakeholders (civil society, organisations, etc...) to work together to counter all forms of violence and entrench among young generations the principles of democracy and tolerance, the fundamental values of the Arab-Muslim civilisation.