Ethiopian police "special forces" confronted rioters in central Addis Ababa on Tuesday, and beat demonstrators supporting a student protest. A BBC journalist at the scene said police were "brutal" and "merciless" in their treatment of the demonstrators, and that they had also destroyed media recording equipment. A peaceful demonstration turned into a violent protest, with about 100 civilians outside the Addis Ababa university throwing stones and bottles at the police. The special forces took charge of a situation, by then described as "beyond the control of the regular police force", a BBC report said on Tuesday. It said some of the officers also stormed the homes of civilians living and working in the Arat Kilo area near the university, and beat women and children. Rioters said they "sympathised" with a week-long boycott of classes by over 3,000 students, who have been demanding - among other things - the removal of armed police from their campus.