POLICE fired tear gas and rubber bullets in Kenya’s main port Mombasa today to disperse a demonstration demanding better security in the country.

The protest had been called after gunmen killed about 65 people in attacks on coastal villages earlier this week.

Activists said eight people were detained from the 200 or so people who joined the protest after gunmen raided the town of Mpeketoni, north of Mombasa, on Sunday night and a nearby village 24 hours later.

Somalia’s al-Shabaab Islamist group had publicly claimed responsibility for the attacks, but President Uhuru Kenyatta dismissed the claim and accused domestic political rivals of involvement.

Government opponents have denied any role in the Mpeketoni assaults.

“We were demonstrating peacefully and telling government to stop these senseless killings on the coast, but police suddenly appeared and attacked us with tear gas and rubber bullets,” said Kenya Community Support Centre director Phyllis Mwema.

She insisted that police had been properly notified of the protest, which had been arranged before the Mpeketoni attacks. 

Police admitted that they had been informed but insisted they had not given approval for fear it could be targeted by “criminals.”

The protest was called by 27 rights groups to demand a meeting with local government officials. 

But in the event police intervened before the protesters reached regional administrative offices.

Public criticism of government security failures has gathered pace following a spate of gun and bomb attacks that have targeted Mombasa and the capital Nairobi.