Tunisian police fired tear gas in front of parliament yesterday to disperse secular protesters demanding the dissolution of the assembly and Islamists defending the legitimacy of their rule.

Police began firing after the arrival of thousands of opposition protesters who had been attending the funeral of the assassinated secular politician Mohamed Brahmi. Protesters threw stones at police. Several were injured in the clash.

Secular opposition parties are demanding the dissolution of the parliament and the Islamist-led government.

Some in the crowd chanted against Rached Ghannouchi, the leader of the ruling Islamist Ennahda party that Brahmi's family says was behind the killing.

Ghannouchi has denounced Thursday's assassination as an attack on democracy.

In a counter-demonstration, hundreds of Islamists flocked in front of the parliament chanting slogans condemning what they called an attempted coup against democracy.

Officials have called for calm.

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