Syrian embassy in Ottawa vandalized

The Syrian embassy in Ottawa was vandalized overnight when the front of the building was splashed with red paint.

Thevandalismcoincided withweekend protests asking the international community, including Canada,to intervene to end the violence in the country.

About 40 people demonstrated outside the embassy onSaturday to denounce the regime of leader Bashar Assad, and Friday evening Canadians ofSyrian descent held a candlelight vigil.

"Lots of people spent their blood to give us the freedom we are living [in Canada]," Syrian-Canadian Farid Hadded told CBC News at the vigil.

"Now, at this time, lots of people back home in Syria are also paying the price for our kids' future to live in democracy and freedom."

It's not clear ifpeopleat either protestwere involved in the vandalism. RCMP are investigating.

The embassies of Syria insix othercountries have also been vandalized.

The embassy in Cairo was burned and various furniture were destroyed, while the embassy in London had its windows broken.