Protest spreads to gas-rich North African nation

ALGIERS, Algeria (AP):

The organisers of a pro-reform protest that brought thousands of Algerians on to the streets of the capital on the weekend called yesterday for another rally next week.

The Coordination for Democratic Change in Algeria - an umbrella group for human-rights activists, unionists, lawyers and others - has called for the February 19 demonstrations to take place throughout the country.

Saturday's rally - which came a day after an uprising in Egypt toppled that country's autocratic ruler - took place only in the capital, Algiers.

Organisers said around 10,000 took part in the gathering, though officials put turnout at 1,500.

Many protesters held signs reading 'Bouteflika out', in reference to President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, in power in the impoverished but gas-rich North African nation since 1999.

Under the country's long-standing state of emergency, public protests are banned in Algiers, and an estimated 26,000 riot police set up barriers throughout the city in a failed bid to quash Saturday's gathering, organisers said.

A human-rights campaigner said police briefly detained around 400 people. No injuries were reported.

Tension has been high in Algeria since a spate of riots over high food prices early last month that left three dead, and recent uprisings in Tunisia and Egypt that deposed those country's leaders.