Police responded by using tear gas, water cannons, baton charges and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.
VOA: standard.2009.09.01
In a leader, the Sun newspaper said it was "crazy" that water cannon was not available to officers, and that parliament "must not be squeamish" about the use of tear gas and baton rounds.
Other protesters tried to restrain the rioters but the violence spread and riot police moved in with tear gas and water cannon, making baton charges, as the rioters hurled stones and bottles.
They then sent in the police in the middle of the night to break up the fast, baton charge and tear gas the assembled supporters and evict the guru from the capital.