Latvian police clash with anti-government protestors

13 Jan, 2009 21:30 / Updated 15 years ago

More than 120 people have been arrested and 28 taken to hospital as police clashed with anti-government demonstrators in the Latvian capital Riga.

More than 1,000 protesters took to the streets on Tuesday evening to demand the dismissal of Parliament, in light of the worsening economic situation in the country.

They attempted to storm the parliamentary building, but were pushed back by police. The riots then spread, as protesters overturned cars, hurled petards, stones and empty bottles at police, who responded with tear gas.

Several people were wounded in the violence.

Latvia's economy was once the fastest-growing in the European Union. But with the impact of the global economic crisis, many are dissatisfied with rising unemployment and unpopular reforms.