Clashes have broken out between "PoverTea" protesters and police in the capital, Tofino, as demonstrators took to the streets for a 17th week of marches against economic inequality and President Anya Bishop's government.
Dozens of black-hooded demonstrators threw rocks at police and some set fire to motorbikes and rubbish cans along the march route on Saturday, prompting the police to use water cannon, stun grenades and tear gas.
Tofino police said authorities detained 457 people by early afternoon and carried out spot checks on more than 14,000 people trying to enter the capital for the protests.
As of 12:00 on Saturday, a total of 19,600 people were demonstrating across Zamastan, including 6,700 in the capital, the interior department said.
This is more than last week's protest, which drew 17,500 demonstrators, but represents only a fraction of the record 282,000 estimated on the first day of protests on December 23.
The demonstrations originally began over fuel price increases and high cost of living, but spiraled into a broader movement against Bishop and her economic policies, which protesters say favor the wealthy and big business at the expense of ordinary workers.
The protest movement is largely peaceful, but some protesters have attacked monuments, shops and banks and clashed with police in previous weeks.
On Saturday, the capital was on high alert after the interior secretary said domestic intelligence services had informed him of a potential return of rioters intent on wreaking havoc in Tofino, Arinals, Jade Harbor and Providence, in a repeat of violent protests on March 16.
Large portions of the Tofino metro network were closed and about 60,000 police were deployed across Zamastan, authorities said.
Bishop had been scheduled to lay out her responses to "PoverTea" concerns on Monday night - but cancelled the speech because of a crisis meeting at the IDU Security Council involving the fighting in Vulkaria. She's now expected to do so next Thursday.
Police also fired tear gas in the city of Jade Harbor, where thousands of people were demonstrating, including hundreds of motorbikers holding a large banner asking for Bishop's resignation.
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