Cairo, Egypt (CNN) -- Egypt's prime minister said some of the thousands involved in days of protests near the U.S. Embassy got paid to participate, state news reported Saturday, the same day riot police managed to force demonstrators from the area.
Prime Minister Hesham Kandil said "a number" of those involved in the tense, sometimes violent protests, which began Tuesday, later confessed to getting paid to participate, according to the state-run Middle East News Agency. He noted, too, that some of the demonstrators were acting on their own and weren't paid to vent their anger against the United States over an inflammatory anti-Islam film that was privately produced in that country.
Kandil did not say whether the government knew or suspected who paid the demonstrators, according to the MENA report.
Zakaria: What the Mideast protests reveal
Pakistani demonstrators beat an effigy of Florida pastor Terry Jones during a protest against an anti-Islam film in Lahore on Monday, September 24. More than 50 people have died around the world in violence linked to protests against the low-budget movie, which mocks Islam and the Prophet Mohammed, since the first demonstrations erupted on September 11. See more of CNN's best photography.
Philippine Muslims gather coins they collected from the provinces to be used to pay for filing a petition before the Philippine Supreme Court in Manila on Monday asking for local authorities to ban the controversial "Innocence of Muslims" film from being posted on the Internet. Hundreds of Muslim protesters in the Philippines called for a ban on the film before the U.S. Embassy.
A woman speaks on a megaphone prior to filing a petiion before the Philippine Supreme Court in Manila on Monday.
On Monday Pakistani Muslim demonstrators shout anti-US slogans during a protest in Quetta.
Sri Lankan Muslims shout slogans against U.S President Barack Obama at a protest in Colombo on Monday.
Muslim students protest in Mogadishu, Somalia, on Monday.
Muslim protesters pray in Omonia Square in central Athens, Greece, during a demonstration on Sunday. Clashes broke out as Muslims staged a demonstration in the square, to be followed by a march to the U.S. Embassy, in protest of the film.
Protesters smashed the windows of a store during a demonstration in central Athens.
Riot police clash with demonstrators in Athens, Greece, on Sunday, September 23.
A Muslim protester throws a shoe at police during a rally in central Athens on Sunday.
Riot police try to disperse Muslim protesters in Athens on Sunday.
A Kashmiri Muslim student participates in a protest march organized by a Muslim school on Saturday, September 22, against an independently produced anti-Islam film that has ignited anger in the Muslim world.
A family in Kashmir watches as students protest on Saturday.
A worker inspects his damaged shop following violent protests in Peshawar, Pakistan, on Saturday.
Pakistani Muslim demonstrators clash with police Friday during a protest near the U.S. consulate in Islamabad.
Pakistani Muslim demonstrators topple a freight container that was placed by police to block a street during a protest on Friday.
A demonstrator kicks a tear gas shell in Karachi, Pakistan, on Friday.
Pakistani policemen help an injured comrade Friday in Karachi.
Protesters gather to demonstrate against a French magazine that published nude cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed outside the French Embassy in London on Friday.
Pakistani police detain a demonstrator in Lahore on Friday during a protest against the film "Innocence of Muslims."
A Pakistani demonstrator throws a tear gas shell toward riot police during a protest against an anti-Islam film in Islamabad on Friday, September 21. Angry demonstrators set fire to two movie theaters in Pakistan's northwestern city of Peshawar as many braced for intensified protests Friday, officials said.
Malaysian Muslim demonstrators march toward the U.S. Embassy after a Friday mass prayer in Kuala Lumpur.
Protesters take part in a march in Benghazi, Libya, on Friday. The march was in support of democracy and against the Islamist militias that Washington blames for an attack on the U.S. consulate last week that killed four Americans including the ambassador.
A Pakistani police officer fires an automatic weapon toward demonstrators during a protest Friday in Islamabad.
Pakistani riot police chase demonstrators Friday in Islamabad.
A Kashmiri activist shouts anti-U.S. slogans during a protest Friday in Srinagar, India.
Pakistani protesters walk near a burning police bunker as demonstrators attempt to reach the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad on Thursday, September 20.
A Pakistani protester throws a tear gas shell back toward police on Thursday.
Pakistani demonstrators carry an injured person on Thursday.
Pakistani riot policemen hold back lawyers shouting anti-U.S. slogans as they attempt to reach the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad on Wednesday, September 19. More than 30 people have been killed around the world during more than a week of attacks and violent protests linked to a controversial film seen as insulting to the Prophet Mohammed.
A Pakistani lawyer wraps a U.S. flag onto his shoe in Islamabad on Wednesday.
Police try to stop Pakistani lawyers crawling under a barrier as they try to reach the U.S. Embassy in the diplomatic enclave during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Islamabad on Wednesday.
Pakistani Muslims shout anti-U.S. slogans during a protest against an anti-Islam movie in Karachi on Wednesday. The Pakistan government has declared Friday a national holiday in honor of the Prophet Mohammed and called for peaceful protests against the film.
Pakistani police stand guard on a blocked street in front of the U.S. Consulate during a protest in Lahore on Wednesday.
Pakistani activists of the hard line Sunni party Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) offer prayers near the U.S. Consulate on Wednesday in Lahore.
Lebanese army soldiers secure the area around the French ambassador's residence in Beirut on Wednesday. France has ordered special security measures around its embassies and schools because of fears of a hostile reaction to a magazine's publication of cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed, the foreign ministry said.
Supporters of Hezbollah hold a picture depicting Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and chant the slogan "God is Great" during a mass rally in Tyre, Lebanon, on Wednesday. Thousands of Lebanon's Hezbollah followers protested against the United States and France for a film and cartoons mocking the Prophet Mohammed.
Members of Justice and Prosperous Party attend a protest outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Wednesday.
An Indian Muslim student hits a burning effigy of U.S. President Barack Obama during a protest in Kolkata on Wednesday.
Masked Palestinians are seen during clashes with Israeli security forces in Shuafat refugee camp, Jerusalem, on Tuesday, September 18.
Indian Muslims burn an American flag with a picture of U.S. President Barack Obama as they protest against a U.S.-made anti-Islam film on Tuesday, September 18, near the U.S. Consulate in Chennai. About 5,000 people have gathered in front of the building. Google India has already blocked access to the film, which the government has condemned as "offensive."
Pakistani Sunni Muslims march during a protest against the anti-Islam movie in Peshawar on Tuesday. Police used tear gas to disperse a crowd of more than 2,000 protesters trying to reach the U.S. Consulate in northwest Pakistan.
Palestinian protesters throw stones at Israeli security forces during clashes that erupted after a demonstration against an amateur anti-Islam film in Shuafat refugee camp, Jerusalem, on Tuesday. Hundreds of Palestinians protesting against the movie clashed with Israeli border police in East Jerusalem, hurling stones and firebombs at a checkpoint, the military and reporters said.