Hundreds of riot police in Zimbabwe have broken up a protest by anti-government demonstrators in the capital, Harare. 

Witnesses say police used batons to quickly disperse at least 200 protesters as they marched and chanted through the center of the capital during lunch hour Tuesday. There has been no official confirmation of arrests or injuries. 

Earlier in the day, police had set up road blocks on streets leading into the city from heavily populated townships and guarded the city square opposite the parliament building where demonstrators traditionally gather. 

The National Constitutional Assembly, a broad coalition of political parties and student, church and human rights groups, planned the protest to demand a new constitution to replace laws it says entrench the rule of President Robert Mugabe. 

Police arrested the leader of the coalition, Lovemore Madhuku, and two other activists Monday ahead of Tuesday's street protest. Reuters news agency says the three are to appear in a Harare court Tuesday. 

President Robert Mugabe was re-elected in March in a vote that was widely condemned by the opposition and Western governments as flawed and marred by irregularities. 

Some information for this report provided by Reuters and AFP.

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