The State Department called on government officials Sunday to respect the rights of Algerians to protest.

Thousands of Algerians held anti-government protests in the capital city of Algiers Sunday. The country’s government has banned such protests and riot police descended on the capital this weekend in an attempt to end the protests.

The events marked the latest anti-government protests around the world, sparked in part as a result of weeks-long protests in Egypt, which resulted in the resignation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak.

“We note the ongoing protests in Algeria, and call for restraint on the part of the security services. In addition, we reaffirm our support for the universal rights of the Algerian people, including assembly and expression,” Philip Crowley, assistant secretary for the Bureau of Public Affairs at the State Department, said in a statement Sunday.

“These rights apply on the internet. Moreover, these rights must be respected. We will continue to follow the situation closely in the days ahead,” Crowley continued.

By Andrew Restuccia
http://thehill.com/