Kuwait Emir orders no leniency with violence

Kuwait's emir ordered no tolerance be shown for any violation of state institutions, a lawmaker said on Thursday, a day after protesters stormed parliament to press for the resignation of the prime minister.

Footage showed scores of people, including some opposition members of parliament, smash down the gate of the parliament building late on Wednesday and storm the assembly.

Kuwait has largely escaped the so-called Arab spring unrest that ended in the overthrow of the presidents of Tunisia, Egypt and Libya, but witnesses said it was the most serious protest to rock the Gulf Arab country so far.

"The emir stressed respect for the law, and urged no leniency with any infringement on national institutions," one member of parliament, who declined to be named told Reuters. Media and witnesses said the demonstrators moved against parliament after special police forces beat some of them as they were holding a weekly vigil near the assembly.

They said the protesters who forced their way into the debating chamber included some opposition lawmakers who have been among hundreds of protesting outside parliament every week to demanding the removal of Sheikh Nasser, who they accuse of corruption.

-          Reuters