Police break up Maldives protest

PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS CONVERTED 4:3 MATERIAL

Angry supporters of the Maldives' ousted President Mohamed Nasheed took the streets of the capital after he said he'd been forced to resign at gunpoint.

These scenes on the streets of Male came just a day after his departure from power.

Riot police and soldiers fired tear gas to break up the protest on Wednesday.

Witnesses said up to 50 people were injured, including Nasheed.

His party says the former leader is now at a safe house.

Nasheed was the Maldives' first democratically elected president, succeeding Maumoon Abdul Gayoom after 30 years in power.

Nasheed's blaming his old rival for the crisis.

His downfall came after he ordered the arrest of a criminal court chief justice he said was blocking corruption and human rights cases against Gayoom allies.

Vice President Mohamed Waheed Hassan Manik has been installed as Nasheed's successor.

He denies involvement in any coup despite a widely reported meeting last month where opposition parties swore allegiance to him.

Paul Chapman, Reuters