Two police officers are seriously injured after being hit with flagstones during a struggle with protestors on Austurvöllur parliament square in Reykjavík last night. Police resorted to the use of tear gas bombs—the first time such a tactic has been used since the protests in 1949.

From the protests on Tuesday. Photo by Páll Stefánsson.

Protestors fled the scene and one protestor was taken to the emergency room because of the gas. After the smoke cleared, people returned to the square, some stoning police, who again resorted to tear gas, Morgunbladid reports.

At 3 am the group of protestors had dispersed, some spray-painted Stjórnarrádid, the government offices, red, while others regrouped in front of the Althingi parliament building. Police remained on the scene, calling for reserves.

Earlier in the day, a group of people mobbed Prime Minister Geir H. Haarde while he sat in his car outside the government offices, egging the vehicle and demanding immediate elections.

The PM needed police assistance to drive out of the parking lot, admitting to Fréttabladid that he had been taken aback by the people’s behavior.

Click here to read about other recent protests.