Police and protesters clash at Women's Day march

Riot police on Sunday tried to disperse thousands of demonstrators who in defiance of a government ban, tried to march along Istanbul's main pedestrian street to mark International Women's Day, according to media reports.

Turkish authorities declared Istiklal street, near Istanbul's main Taksim Square, off-limits, and said the planned march down the avenue was unauthorised.

The demonstrators, mostly women, gathered near Istiklal regardless and tried to break through police barricades to reach it, opposition paper Cumhuriyet and other media reported.

Riot police fired tear gas and used shields to push back the demonstrators. The independent T24 news website said police also fired blank bullets to disperse the crowd.

Several demonstrators were detained, according to Cumhuriyet. Turkish authorities have restricted protests in the country in recent years, citing security concerns. Police had set up barricades on all streets leading to Istiklal and closed down the nearest subway stop.