Bosnian police in protest clash

Serbs blame the US for supporting Kosovo's independence

Police have fired tear gas after being stoned by Bosnian Serb protesters trying to reach the US consulate in Banja Luka, Bosnia-Hercegovina.

Six people were injured and 20 people were arrested after the protesters broke away from a rally.

About 10,000 people had attended the largely peaceful rally against Kosovo's declaration of independence.

In Serbia, thousands attended the funeral of a man who died in an attack by protesters on Belgrade's US embassy.

The Banja Luka demonstrators had chanted "Kosovo is Serbia" as they tried to get to the US mission, which was shut last week.

See a map of Kosovo's ethnic breakdown

The US and a number of EU states have recognised Kosovo's independence.

Kosovan Prime Minister Hashim Thaci warned on Tuesday that he would not allow the territory's integrity to be threatened.

"Not an inch of Kosovo's territory must be touched by anyone," he said.

'Dignified revolt'

Protesters in Banja Luka, a Bosnian Serb stronghold, chanted: "We will not give the Serbian soul to the devil."

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Some demanded independence for the Serbian Republika Srpska, one of two entities comprising Bosnia-Hercegovina.

Addressing the rally, Bosnian Serb Prime Minister Milorad Dodik said the gathering was "a democratic, human revolt" and said Bosnian Serbs would never recognise Kosovo as independent.

Later a group split from the protest to head towards the US consulate, closed last week because of threats.

Protesters broke shop windows and threw stones at police who blocked the streets leading to the building with armoured vehicles.

Four police officers were among the injured.

Dead protester

Several thousand people attended the funeral in Novi Sad of Zoran Vujovic, 21, an engineering student whose charred remains were found inside the US embassy after it was set on fire by protesters last Thursday night.

Zoran Vujovic grew up in Caglavica, near Pristina, Serbian media say

As the authorities continued to investigate the circumstances of his death, his uncle, Milorad Vujovic, said he had meant "only to protest over Kosovo".

Serbian media report that the dead student was a Kosovo Serb, forced to flee from his home near Pristina along with his family in 1999.

Most Serbs regard Kosovo as their religious and cultural heartland.

Serbia, supported by Russia and China, says Kosovo's independence declaration - made on 17 February - violates international law.

A 2,000-strong European Union mission will be deployed to help Kosovo develop its police force and judiciary.

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