Global General

Algerian police arrest pro-reform protesters: witness

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2011-02-19 20:02

ALGIERS - The Algerian police have arrested some demonstrators who managed to take part in the march that the National Coordination for Change and Democracy (NCCD) attempted to hold on Saturday, in the capital Algiers.

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A Xinhua reporter at the scene saw that some 450 protesters have attempted to reach Concorde Square (former May 1 Square) in Algiers, but they have been dispersed by police, before arresting some of them.

The protesters chanted anti-government slogans such as "the people want to overthrow the regime," and "free and democratic Algeria".

Yet, dozen of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's supporters have also demonstrated and chanted anti-NCCD slogans.