Benghazi , Libya ( CNN ) -- Ten days after four Americans were killed in their Libyan city , hundreds marched in Benghazi and took over the headquarters of a radical Islamist group tied to the attack . Thousands of protesters had taken to the street earlier Friday , loudly declaring that they -- and not those behind last week 's deadly attack -- represent the real sentiments of the Libyan people . `` I am sorry , America , '' one man said . `` This is the real Libya . '' In the evening , an offshoot of several hundred people then headed toward the headquarters for Ansar al-Sharia , a loosely connected radical Islamist group . As militia members fled , the protesters torched a vehicle and took over the group 's building without firing a single shot . Some of those involved claimed to have freed at least 20 captives held inside , and expressed their intent to assume control over other Ansar al-Sharia buildings . Army General Naji al-Shuaibi said the citizens , whom he referred to as `` revolutionaries of the February 17 uprising , '' later asked that the Ansar al-Sharia headquarters be handed over to the Libyan army . `` Indeed , we rushed here and we will now take it over , '' said the general . `` There are also other places that we intend to take over ( which belong to armed groups ) if the revolutionaries and the people allow us to do so . '' But some of the protesters gathered at locations that house forces loyal to the national authority , he said , including the headquarters of the Rufallah al-Sihati battalion . Gunfire could be heard at the headquarters , but it was not initially clear who was responsible . Mohamed al-Magariaf , president of Libya 's General National Congress , thanked the protesters for helping evict `` armed groups . He also said the Rufallah al-Sihati brigade was actually `` under the command of -- and committed to -- the national authority , '' the case appeared to be one of mistaken identity . Magariaf asked demonstrators to stop their activities and go home . There was widespread speculation that anti-national authority groups capitalized on the euphoria after the takeover of the Ansar al-Sharia headquarters and pushed protesters to move toward locations under the control of the army and the police force . On the night of September 11 , U.S . Ambassador Christopher Stevens was one of four Americans slain after a group assaulted the U.S. Consulate in the eastern Libyan city . Seen as the birthplace of the revolution that led to the death of longtime Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi , Benghazi has in recent months been beset by security issues . Initial reports indicated that , ahead of the consular attack , Ansar al-Sharia had organized a protest to decry an inflammatory film that mocks the Prophet Mohammed and also protest the United States , where the film was privately produced . On Thursday , Libyan Prime Minister Mustafa Abushagur said eight detained in connection with that assault include members of Ansar al-Sharia , though he added that not all the attackers came from one specific group . Responding to the report from Benghazi , U.S. Sen. John McCain applauded the citizens ' efforts Friday and said it represented the true , freedom-loving Libya that he and other U.S. officials involved in the country knew . `` Somewhere Chris Stevens is smiling , '' the Arizona Republican said . `` This is what we knew ... about Libya . ''
Protesters ask troops to take control of an Islamist group 's HQ , a general says . `` I am sorry , America ... This is the real Libya , '' a protester in Benghazi says . Hundreds take over the Ansar al-Sharia group 's headquarters without firing a shot . That group is tied to an attack last week that left 4 Americans dead .