LIBREVILLE – Angry demonstrators hurled projectiles at the French embassy in the Central African Republic capital Bangui on Wednesday, protesting at a lack of help to deter rebels who have occupied a large swathe of the country.

Former colonial power France “has the tendency to abandon us,” a protester said as the group arrived from an earlier sit-in outside the US embassy. “We no longer need France, France may as well take its embassy and leave.”