Sun Jul 30, 9:11 AM ET

BEIRUT (AFP) - Angry Lebanese protestors have stormed the building of the
United Nations in Beirut, smashing glass doors and hacking at the furniture in rage at Israel's deadly bombing of homes in Qana.

After the violent protest at UN headquarters, thousands of people -- some in tears and others shouting angry slogans -- converged from both Christian and Muslim areas of the capital on Riad Solh Square where the building is located.

After hearing news of the carnage in Qana which killed 51 people, including 25 children, a group of protestors attacked and briefly occupied the UN House in downtown Beirut where they smashed windows, burned curtains and destroyed furniture.

UN spokesman Khaled Mansour told AFP that about 100 UN staff in the building had sought refuge in an underground basement, and that security personnel were trying to extinguish a fire on the second floor.

"We are also angry by the bombardments on civilians, and we strongly condemn that, but we should not be targeted," Mansour said.

A small group of protestors burned an American flag while shouting: "Death to America."

"Feltman out now!" demonstrators also shouted, referring to US Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman.

"Thank you America for your smart bombs, on behalf of our slain children," read one banner carried by the protestors, most of whom were also raising Lebanese flags.

Activists also waved flags of several parties, including the yellow standard of Hezbollah.

"Dear (Hassan) Nasrallah, strike Tel Aviv," they chanted, addressing the head of the Lebanese Shiite militant group Hezbollah which has met Israeli attacks with fierce resistance for the past 19 days, firing rockets into northern Israel.

A group of youths hoisted the Hezbollah flag on one of the poles outside the building. Inside, demonstrators smashed the electronic announcement screen positioned at the entrance of the UN premises.

More than 500 people, mostly civilians, have been killed by Israeli bombardments since the Jewish state launched a massive offensive on Lebanon after Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers at the borders on July 12 in an attempt to secure an exchange of prisoners.

Qana was also the site of an Israeli bombing of a UN base on April 18, 1996 that killed 105 people who had taken refuge there during Israel's "Grapes of Wrath" offensive -- another operation aimed at wiping out Hezbollah.

The demonstration in central Beirut only calmed down after Hezbollah militants forced protestors to leave the UN House and Lebanese parliament speaker Nabih Berri appealed to them to disperse and not attack any building.

"I call on my people and brothers and on the youngsters demonstrating outside the ESCWA (UN building) to desist from any demonstration and any attack on any building," he said on the Arab television channel Al-Jazeera.

He urged them "to return from where they came and to give the whole world a chance to stand by us without any distortion (of Lebanon's image)".

Geir Pedersen, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's representative in Lebanon, said he was "deeply shocked and saddened by the killing of tens of Lebanese civilians, including many children in Qana, south Lebanon, and calls for immediate ceasefire and investigation," a statement said.

Lebanese protesters smash a window with an iron bar at the United Nations headquarters during a demonstration in Beirut. Angry Lebanese protestors have stormed the building of the United Nations in Beirut, smashing glass doors and hacking at the furniture in rage at Israel's deadly bombing of homes in Qana.(AFP/Ramzi Haidar)