British soldiers on Monday clashed with a crowd of Iraqi demonstrators outside the offices of a religious group in the southern Iraqi city of Basra. At least one protester was injured in the incident.
Some of the troops used riot shields and batons to try to control the crowd of some 80 demonstrators, Sky News reported.
The protesters threw stones and swung iron bars at the Britons and set fire to several tires.
Television images showed several objects burning and petrol drums scattered across the road.
Witnesses said one protester was hit in the head by a rubber baton round fired by the occupation troops and was taken to hospital.
The clashes took place in front of the office of the God's Revenge Islamic Organization, a Shi'ite group.
The group is accused by some Iraqis of involvement in attacks against Sunni Muslims and members of the former Ba'ath Party regime.
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
