ROSEAU, Dominica (CMC) — Police fired tear gas Tuesday night to disperse protestors who had taken to the streets here demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and members of his Dominica government.

The action by the police followed a number of fires and the looting of several buildings in the capital, including a store belonging to the telecommunications provider, Digicel.

Deputy Prime Minister Dr Colin McIntrye said that the United Workers Party (UWP) must be held responsible “for what is happening in the city tonight.

“There was always a plan to allow this thing to go into the night,” he said, making reference to the fact that the police had said that the opposition rally should have ended at 3:00pm (local time).

“These bandits are trying to cause a lawless state,” said the Minister for Youth, Sports, Culture and Constituency Empowerment, Justina Charles.

Charles, speaking on the state-owned DBS radio, said that if the actions of the protestors were designed to bring down the government” then they have failed, they will not succeed.

“We will ensure there will be peace in the country,” she said, adding “we have to condemn the action against the state of Dominica”.