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Burkina Faso parliament set ablaze Burkina Faso parliament set ablaze
(35 minutes later)
Protesters angry at plans to allow Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaore to extend his 27-year-rule have set fire to parliament.Protesters angry at plans to allow Burkina Faso's President Blaise Compaore to extend his 27-year-rule have set fire to parliament.
The BBC's Laeila Adjovi in the capital, Ouagadougou, say the city hall and ruling party headquarters are also in flames. Correspondents say the city hall and ruling party headquarters are also in flames.
The security forces fired tear gas from a helicopter as a crowd surged towards the presidency. A huge crowd is surging towards the presidential palace and the main airport has been shut.
MPs have suspended a vote to allow Mr Compaore to stand for re-election. MPs have suspended a vote on changing the constitution to allow Mr Compaore to stand for re-election next year.
One person has been killed in the protests, reports the BBC's Yacouba Ouedraogo from the capital. Five people has been killed in the protests, one of the most serious against Mr Compaore's rule, reports BBC Afrique's Yacouba Ouedraogo from the capital.
Mr Compaore first took power in a coup in 1987, and has won four disputed elections since then. The military had earlier fired live bullets at protesters who had stormed parliament, he says.
Dozens of soldiers have reportedly joined the protests, including a former defence minister, General Kouame Lougue.
The main opposition leader, Zephirin Diabre, has called on the military to side with "the people".
Mr Compaore's whereabouts are unknown, but he has appealed for calm via Twitter.
He first took power in a coup in 1987, and has won four disputed elections since then.
State TV off air
The opposition has called for a campaign of civil disobedience to demand that he steps down in elections next year.The opposition has called for a campaign of civil disobedience to demand that he steps down in elections next year.
"October 30 is Burkina Faso's Black Spring, like the Arab Spring," opposition activist Emile Pargui Pare told AFP news agency."October 30 is Burkina Faso's Black Spring, like the Arab Spring," opposition activist Emile Pargui Pare told AFP news agency.
State television has gone off air after protesters stormed the building housing it and ransacked it, Reuters quotes a witness as saying.State television has gone off air after protesters stormed the building housing it and ransacked it, Reuters quotes a witness as saying.
Smoke could be seen billowing from parliament. About 1,500 people breached the security cordon at parliament, AFP reports.
Police had earlier fired tear gas to prevent protesters from moving in on the parliamentary building.
But about 1,500 people managed to breach the security cordon and were ransacking parliament, AFP reports.
Protesters were setting fire to documents and stealing computer equipment and cars outside the building were also set on fire, it reports.Protesters were setting fire to documents and stealing computer equipment and cars outside the building were also set on fire, it reports.
Blaise CompaoreBlaise Compaore
The government has been forced to suspend Thursday's parliamentary vote on a constitutional amendment that would have lifted the limit on presidential terms so that Mr Compaore could run for office next year. A massive crowd has also converged on the main square in Ouagadougou, and are marching towards the presidential palace, which is about 5km (three miles) away, our reporter says.
A government helicopter flying overhead was firing tear gas at them, Reuters reports.
There are also reports of protests in the south-western city of Bobo Dioulasso.
The government has been forced to suspend Thursday's parliamentary vote on a constitutional amendment that would have lifted the limit on presidential terms so that Mr Compaore could run for office again in 2015.
It is not clear whether the government intends to hold the vote at a later stage, correspondents say.It is not clear whether the government intends to hold the vote at a later stage, correspondents say.
Mr Compaore is a staunch ally of the US and France, which uses Burkina Faso as a base for military operations against militant Islamists in the Sahel region.Mr Compaore is a staunch ally of the US and France, which uses Burkina Faso as a base for military operations against militant Islamists in the Sahel region.
Both France and the European Union (EU) have called on him to scrap the proposed constitutional amendment.Both France and the European Union (EU) have called on him to scrap the proposed constitutional amendment.
The EU said it could jeopardise Burkina Faso's stability. The US has also raised concern about the proposed amendment.The EU said it could jeopardise Burkina Faso's stability. The US has also raised concern about the proposed amendment.
Are you in Ouagadougou? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.Are you in Ouagadougou? You can email your experiences to haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
If you are willing to be contacted by BBC journalists please include a telephone number.If you are willing to be contacted by BBC journalists please include a telephone number.