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Honduras police break up protests | Honduras police break up protests |
(31 minutes later) | |
Honduran security forces have broken up protests outside the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa in support of deposed President Manuel Zelaya, reports say. | |
Police surrounded the embassy, where Mr Zelaya is staying, and the scene is now said to be calm. | |
Protesters defied a curfew set after Mr Zelaya's surprise return on Monday. | |
He had been in exile since being thrown out of Honduras on 28 June. Interim leader Roberto Micheletti has insisted Mr Zelaya should face trial. | He had been in exile since being thrown out of Honduras on 28 June. Interim leader Roberto Micheletti has insisted Mr Zelaya should face trial. |
The confrontation between protesters and police took place in the early morning local time, reports said, and police are now said to be in control of the area. | |
Police fired tear gas at the protesters and at least two tear-gas canisters landed inside the embassy compound, said a photographer for Reuters news agency who was at the scene. | |
Inside the embassy, Mr Zelaya accused police of preparing an attack. | Inside the embassy, Mr Zelaya accused police of preparing an attack. |
"The embassy is surrounded by police and the military... I foresee bigger acts of aggression and violence, that they could be capable of even invading the Brazilian embassy," he told Venezuelan broadcaster Telesur, according to Reuters. | "The embassy is surrounded by police and the military... I foresee bigger acts of aggression and violence, that they could be capable of even invading the Brazilian embassy," he told Venezuelan broadcaster Telesur, according to Reuters. |
But a police spokesman said force had to be used to disperse the protesters, and that the curfew remained in effect until Tuesday evening. | But a police spokesman said force had to be used to disperse the protesters, and that the curfew remained in effect until Tuesday evening. |
A protest leader, Juan Barahona, alleged that police had used live rounds, but this was denied by the interim deputy foreign minister, Martha Lorena Alvarado. | |
Mr Micheletti has demanded that the deposed leader be handed over to face trial, saying Brazil will be held responsible for any violence. | |
In addition to the curfew, airports have been shut and roadblocks set up on highways leading into Tegucigalpa. | |
Calls for calm | |
But Brazil's Foreign Minister Celso Amorim warned that any threat to Mr Zelaya or the Brazilian embassy would be a grave breach of international law. | |
Earlier, the European Union called for calm following Mr Zelaya's dramatic return to the country. | |
In a statement, it called on Mr Zelaya and the interim government to negotiate an end to the three-month crisis. | In a statement, it called on Mr Zelaya and the interim government to negotiate an end to the three-month crisis. |
It added its voice to that of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who said Mr Zelaya's return must not lead to violence. |