Police used teargas to disperse protesters taking part in another anti-government demonstration in Tunis Sunday.

About 200 protesters gathered outside the municipal theatre and along the Habib Bourguiba Avenue in central Tunis and sang the national anthem to galvanise support.

They hurled insults at police who responded by warning the demonstrators to clear the streets and return home.

When the protesters refused and taunted police by calling them "cowards".

The security forces then hurled teargas, forcing the demonstrators to move into nearby streets before they reappeared in small groups on the main avenue.

Saturday, authorities imposed a night time curfew in Tunis and the surrounding area after several days of violence.

The capital has been rocked by a series of protests against the transitional government, installed following the January uprising that led to the fall of president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali after 23 years in power.

The interior ministry apologised Friday after police broke up the protests using tear gas, truncheons and iron bars, and attacking journalists covering the event.

It is not known how long the curfew, which runs from 9:00 pm to 5:00 am (2200 GMT to 0600 GMT), will remain in place.