Burma protest held in Canberra September 28, 2007
Riot police have clashed with protesters outside the Burmese embassy in Canberra, taking one man into temporary custody during the disturbance.
A street in Canberra's diplomatic quarter was blocked off as the 100 protesters tried to march on the embassy, chanting for peace and democracy.
About a dozen police, who had been stationed inside and outside the embassy gate, unsuccessfully tried to force the demonstrators back as they edged closer to the mission but had to call in a busload of reinforcements to set up a containment line.
The crowd initially tried to sit on the road but as they got up skirmishes began with the police gathered around them.
Organiser arrested
Some protesters fell to the ground as they clashed with the police, who dragged one of the organisers, Maung Maung Naing, away.
Mr Naing was taken into temporary custody for disturbing the peace but police planned to release him when the crowd dispersed.
The crowd carried pro-democracy placards calling for an end to the killing in Burma, and flags, which they unsuccessfully tried to set alight.
After the disturbance was brought under control, one of the protest organisers urged the crowd to stay calm.
"Let us protest in peace," he said, telling the demonstrators that Australia was on their side.
Police unmoved
Organisers had been trying to negotiate with police to allow half a dozen of their number closer to the embassy so that officials inside could hear their chants.
But police refused to allow them any closer, following a violent protest outside the embassy eight years ago.
In the 1999 protest, about 200 people gathered to stage a sit-in but the demonstrators ended up charging through the 15 police and breaking the embassy gate to enter the grounds.
Today, organisers handed over a letter to a police liaison officer to pass on to Burmese embassy officials.
The letter condemned the military crackdown on Buddhist monks and civilians in Rangoon and urged China and India to use their influence to bring peace to the nation.
At least nine people died overnight when Burma's military junta cleared the streets of central Rangoon, tightening a two-day crackdown on the largest uprising in 20 years.
A smaller group of protesters, escorted by police, later marched towards the Chinese embassy, chanting "Free Burma. Pray for Burma."
Police set up a cordon around the Chinese embassy, keeping the group some distance from the mission.
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