Tear gas, water cannon turned on Cambodian opposition march
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Phnom Penh - Cambodian police fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse hundreds of protesters near the Royal Palace on Sunday afternoon as they attempted to remove the police's barbed wire barricades in order to march through a street in front of the
"We fired tear gas and water cannon to disperse them from the area," National Military Police spokesman Kheng Tito told Xinhua on Sunday.
One witness reported from the scene said tear gas were shot into the crowds of about 500 protesters and water cannons were fired from two fire trucks.
Thousands of Cambodian opposition supporters on Sunday marched on streets in the city against the July 28 election results that handed victory to Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling party.
The protest, organized by the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) of long-time opposition leader Sam Rainsy, aimed to reject the election results that showed the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) won with 68 parliamentary seats and the CNRP received the remaining 55 seats.
The CNRP claimed that its party should win 63 seats, with the CPP getting 60 seats if alleged irregularities during the poll were fairly investigated.
Security has been tightened throughout the city on Sunday as barbed wire barricades have been placed across major roads.
At the Park, Sam Rainsy told about 20,000 supporters that the party would boycott the opening session of the parliament on September 23 if there was no a proper solution to the alleged irregularities during the July 28 election.
He said the mass protest would last for three days as makeshift tents had already been set up at the park for protesters to sleep at nights.
After his speech, he led thousands of protesters marched on streets in the city.
There was a brief confrontation between police and protesters when some protesters had tried to remove barbed wire barricades on banned roads, but anti-riot police exercised utmost restraints by not reacting to the removal.
