Cambodian police briefly clash with protesters, more than 10 injured

Cambodian security forces briefly clashed with a few hundreds of protesters near the capital' s Freedom Park on Sunday morning, leaving 17 people on both sides injured, a spokesman and a human rights activist said. "The clash broke out about 10 minutes when protesters tried to remove police's barricades to enter the park, but were prevented by the police," spokesman for the Phnom Penh Municipality Long Dimanche told Xinhua. During the clash, protesters hurled stones and water bottles at police, while the police fought back with batons. "Eleven security forces got injured," he said. "One is seriously injured on his head due to rocks thrown by protesters." Dimanche said that two men among the protesters were detained during the incident because they had a slingshot and some metal balls. "We temporarily detained them for education because they used a slingshot during the clash," he said, adding that the two men would be released after being educated. Chan Saveth, a senior investigator for rights group Adhoc, said that at least six protesters were injured during the clash. The clash happened after nine opposition-aligned unions and associations have defied the government ban on demonstrations and led the protest in order to demand the release of 23 protesters detained during violent clashes on Jan. 2 and 3, and a 160 U.S. dollars minimum monthly wage for garment workers. As of Sunday afternoon, dozens of protesters are still rallying outside the Freedom Park as hundreds of anti-riot police have cordoned off the park. The country has temporarily banned demonstrations since earlier this month in order to restore public security and social order after two protests turned violent, leaving four protesters dead, 26 injured and 23 arrested.