Zimbabwe opposition rally stopped

By Peter Biles
BBC News, Johannesburg

This man says he was beaten by the police

Police in Zimbabwe have used tear-gas and water cannon to prevent an opposition rally from going ahead in the capital, Harare.

The Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) leader Morgan Tsvangirai said he was cancelling the event after police sealed off the venue.

The MDC had wanted the rally to launch Mr Tsvangirai's campaign for presidential elections in 2008.

On Saturday he had obtained a High Court order for the rally to go ahead.

However, on Sunday Mr Tsvangirai was blocked by police from reaching the sports ground in the Highfields district of the capital where the rally was due to take place.

Unconfirmed

As Mr Tsvangirai's supporters gathered, police set up roadblocks and then opened fire with water cannon and tear gas.

The police set up road blocks around the venue

There are unconfirmed reports of a number of arrests.

Mr Tsvangirai eventually arrived at the venue and told the crowd that the rally was being called off.

These events come against the backdrop of increasing civil discontent over Zimbabwe's economic crisis.

Doctors, nurses and teachers have been on strike in recent weeks and civil servants are threatening strike action unless they are awarded an immediate 400% pay increase in an effort to keep pace with the country's hyper-inflation.