An angry mob of people attacked the vehicle carrying the U.S. Ambassador to China during the largest protests against the claims by Japan over the islands located in the East China Sea.

Close to 50 protesters from China surrounded a United States official state car carrying Gary Locke the U.S. Ambassador to the country. The State Department in the U.S. said Locke escaped unharmed. The melee took place just outside the U.S. Embassy and guards from the compound were needed to intervene on Locke’s behalf. Officials said that only minor damage was done to the state car.

Officials from the U.S. government lodged their concern and worry over the incident, urging the government of China to do all they could to protect personnel and interests of the U.S. in China.

The Tuesday incident took place while huge crowds protested in mass outside the nearby Japanese embassy demanding the Japanese government to relinquish its control of the island chain that China claims is theirs in waters that separate the countries.

The presumptive leader of China, current Vice President Xi Jinping denounced the decision by Japan to purchase the islands as just a provocation, as the Chinese moved towards snuffing out protests against their neighbor. Jinping said that Japan should stop using acts or words that attempt to undermine the territorial integrity or sovereignty of China.

Some observers in China blame the U.S. for supporting Japan on its claim of the islands and suggest the U.S. is trying to insight unrest in the area so they can return naval forces to the region.