Yemenis protest against president for 4th day

Sanaa (Yemen), Feb 14 (AP) Thousands protested inYemen for a fourth straight day today, demanding politicalreforms and the ouster of the US-allied president indemonstrations inspired by the upheaval in Egypt.

The protests come even as the US has embarked on aplan to deepen its involvement in training the country''scounter-terrorism force to counteract a local affiliate ofal-Qaida that has mounted several attacks against the USUniversity students, rights activists and lawmakers marchedMonday in the capital, Sanaa.

Lawyers in black robes, led by their union chief,joined the demonstrators shouting slogans against the securityforces and "the people want the regime to step down," a sloganmirroring those used in Egypt and Tunisia.

"A revolution of free opinion... A revolution offreedom... We should decide," shouted the protesters.

A counter-demonstration of at least a hundred governmentsupporters holding up pictures of President Ali Abdullah Salehconfronted the protesters, shouting slogans against terrorismand supporting the government''s call for dialogue.

The two groups scuffled in front of the university andthree people were injured, two from stones and one was stabbeda traditional Yemeni dagger.

Police finally separated the two groups before theprotesters marched toward the city centre gathering steam asthey went shouting, "Leave, Saleh."

Lawyer Hassan al-Dola said the anti-government protestwas against "the widespread corruption and against thesecurity apparatus that terrified the people."

"We will continue our protests until the regimefalls," independent lawmaker Ahmed Hashid said.

Dozens of women, meanwhile, demonstrated outside ofthe police intelligence headquarters in the capital, callingfor the release of their sons.

Local and international journalists also reportedbeing attacked by police and government supporters and beaten.

Similar demonstrations took place in Aden and Taaz shouting,"Saleh, you are good in words but not in rule."

In Taaz, police dispersed demonstrators with tear gasand firing rounds in the air. Twelve people were injured anddozens arrested. (AP)