Soldiers beat protestors in Zimbabwe marches

AN anti-government strike yesterday shut down much of Zimbabwe’s economy on the second day of a national week of protest called against the increasingly repressive rule of President Robert Mugabe.

Opposition party officials who called for the protests vowed to press on with protests despite a crackdown by security forces.

Police and troops have moved quickly to crush street demonstrations, arresting scores of protesters and opposition leaders under Draconian security laws that allow the government to ban any gathering.