Nairobi — A demonstration called to protest the arrest of controversial Jamaican Muslim cleric Sheikh Abdullah al-Faisal has been broken up by police.
One person died in the confrontation between the police and rowdy Muslim youths, and three others suffered injuries.
A General Service Unit officer was also injured.
The pro-Faisal demo, called by the Muslim Human Rights Forum, started peacefully at the Jamia Mosque in Nairobi's Banda Street.
Youths waving placards castigating the government's move to arrest the cleric, who is on an international terror watchlist, and his botched deportation took to the streets after their Friday prayers.
Some of the protesters were chanting "Allahu Akbar" (God is great) and others displayed what was thought to be the flag of Somali rebel group al Shabaab.
However, the demonstration soon turned ugly as a confrontation between the youths and police ensued.
Police fired teargas canisters to disperse the youth, who in turn pelted the officers with stones. A huge pall of smoke engulfed Banda Street as the two groups engaged in a cat-and -mouse chase.
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Three youths were injured in the melee and were rushed to hospital by ambulance.
A contingent of GSU was called in to offer reinforcement as the back and forth battle intensified.
At one point, the GSU stormed the Mosque to flush out the youths, who had sought refuge inside.
The cleric, who was seized on New Year's Eve in Mombasa, was being held at the Industrial Area remand station as the government plotted his next destination.
He had been deported to The Gambia last week, but was returned on Sunday morning.
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The kenyan goverment hav to deport the man inquestion as first as they can, insted of terorising the local citizens.