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Zimbabwe protesters tear-gassed Zimbabwe protesters tear-gassed
(about 1 hour later)
Zimbabwean police have fired tear gas at hundreds of opposition protesters on the streets of the capital, Harare, after a court banned a protest march.Zimbabwean police have fired tear gas at hundreds of opposition protesters on the streets of the capital, Harare, after a court banned a protest march.
The judge ruled an opposition stadium rally could go ahead but agreed with police warnings that a march would present a threat to public security.The judge ruled an opposition stadium rally could go ahead but agreed with police warnings that a march would present a threat to public security.
Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was detained for five hours then released ahead of the planned demonstrations.Opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was detained for five hours then released ahead of the planned demonstrations.
The opposition want political reforms before elections scheduled for March. He later accused the authorities of treating him like a "common criminal".
After the court ruling, several hundred opposition protesters began walking from the headquarters of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in central Harare. Mr Tsvangirai, who was arrested at his home in Harare early on Wednesday morning, addressed supporters at the rally site, Glamis Stadium, in the west of the capital.
'Intimidation' 'Farce'
Chanting and waving placards, they made their way towards the rally site, at Glamis Stadium in the west of the capital. He told a crowd: "If this is the reaction of this dictatorship, then the elections are a farce."
It's a mockery of African solutions to African problems. It's a mockery to humankind Nelson Chamisa,Opposition spokesman The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) is demanding a new constitution before presidential and parliamentary polls that President Robert Mugabe said would be held in March.
But police told the demonstrators they were breaking the court order, before firing tear gas and charging.
A spokesman for the MDC said many people had been trying to reach the stadium for the rally but had been intimidated by the heavy police presence.
Mr Tsvangirai, who was arrested at his home in Harare early on Wednesday morning, reportedly addressed a few hundred people outside the stadium.
On Tuesday, state radio said police suspected "sinister motives" behind the march.
MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa told the Associated Press news agency the ban, imposed on Monday, flew in the face of outside efforts to resolve the situation in Zimbabwe.
A struggle to surviveA struggle to survive
"It's a mockery of [South African] President [Thabo] Mbeki's efforts. It's a mockery of African solutions to African problems. It's a mockery to humankind," he said. After the court ruling, several hundred opposition protesters had begun walking to the stadium from the MDC headquarters in central Harare.
The party is demanding a new constitution before elections, which President Robert Mugabe said would be held in two months. But police told the demonstrators, who were chanting and waving placards, they were breaking the court order, before firing tear gas and charging.
The MDC warned this month it would boycott the polls if it was not satisfied with preparations to ensure they would be free and fair. A spokesman for the MDC said people trying to reach the stadium had been intimidated by heavy police presence.
On Tuesday, state radio said police suspected "sinister motives" behind the march.
The opposition warned this month it would boycott the polls if it was not satisfied with preparations to ensure they would be free and fair.
The BBC's Peter Greste, in neighbouring South Africa, says the rally was also organised to protest about the state of the economy, with unemployment more than 80% and inflation widely thought to be more than 50,000%.The BBC's Peter Greste, in neighbouring South Africa, says the rally was also organised to protest about the state of the economy, with unemployment more than 80% and inflation widely thought to be more than 50,000%.
The demonstration was the first test of the new public order and security act which should, in theory, allow political rallies after simply informing the police, our correspondent says.The demonstration was the first test of the new public order and security act which should, in theory, allow political rallies after simply informing the police, our correspondent says.