Police Open Fire at Protestors in Kyrgyzstan Capital

MosNews | June 17, 2005

Up to 2,000 supporters of a presidential candidate being kept off the ballot have stormed the government headquarters in Kyrgyzstan’s capital Bishkek, AP reported Friday.

Police forced the protesters out of the building and began chasing them through nearby streets using tear gas, Reuters added.

Kyrgyz officials had rejected his registration on grounds he’s actually a citizen of neighboring Kazakhstan.

The election in the former Soviet republic was called after an uprising two months ago that ousted Kyrgyzstan’s previous president.

Kyrgyz police evicted hundreds of protesters from the main government building they had seized earlier on Friday, Reuters reported.

Reuters correspondent Olga Dzyubenko said police forced the protesters out of the building and began chasing them through nearby streets. The police fired in the air and used tear gas.