OAKLAND (California), April 7: Oakland police fired rubber bullets and wooden pellets on Monday to disperse hundreds of anti-war protesters in what was believed to be the first such use against US protesters since the war on Iraq began.

Demonstrators were seeking to block access to American President Lines, a shipping company they claimed was profiting from the war in Iraq when said they used the pellets and bullets to disperse about 750 protesters.

Several people were injured, including some who suffered large bruises. One man lifted up his shirt to show a welt about the size of a baseball.

“We gave our dispersal order, we gave them an order, we gave them ample time to disperse,” said Oakland Police spokeswoman Danielle Ashford. “When we give our dispersal order, that’s pretty much it. (If) there are safety issues involved, that’s when we step in.”

The anti-war demonstrators carried signs including “Shut down the war makers.”

The action is believed to be the first police use of anti-crowd munitions against US demonstrators since the war began.

Police continued to fire upon a group of about 150 protesters that remained in mid-morning after the initial burst of rubber bullets broke up most of the crowd. Police arrested at least a dozen demonstrators in Oakland.

San Francisco police detained about 18 protesters at the Federal Building in a separate demonstration. Several people were also reported to be blocking one of the city’s main highways.—AFP