20110121 RFI
Police in Algeria broke up a rally of about 300 people in the capital who defied a government ban on a demonstration Saturday, according to a pro-democracy activist. Several people were arrested, including an opposition lawmaker.
"There are several injured... and numerous arrests," Saïd Sadi, president of the opposition party that organised the demonstrations, told the AFP news agency by telephone, adding that the head of the party's parliamentary group, Othmane Amazouz, was among those arrested.
The Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD) had tried to organise a pro-democracy rally in the capital, but they were denied permission by the government.
Some 300 people defied the ban and gathered to march towards parliament. They were reportedly prevented from doing so by dozens of police officers using tear gas.
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