Saudi police open fire on protesters

Saudi police opened fire to disperse a protest, injuring at least one man, as the government tried to prevent the unrest sweeping the Arab world from reaching the kingdom.

Several hundred Shia demonstrators, some wearing masks to avoid being identified, marched after dark in the eastern city of Qatif calling for "freedom for prisoners".

Police fired stun grenades followed by bullets, scattering the crowd, a witness said. Some people were beaten with clubs.

Shias, who make up 10 per cent of the country's 23 million population, complain that they are barred from senior positions in the military and government and are not given an equal share of the country's oil wealth.

Security forces were deployed around the capital of Riyadh today before planned protests demanding democratic reforms after Friday prayers.