Saudi police block reform protests

Several hundred people have protested in Shiite eastern Saudi Arabia but hundreds of police prevented protests in the capital calling for democratic reforms.

Police blocked roads and set up random checkpoints in Riyadh, searching residents and vehicles around a central mosque as large numbers of people gathered for Friday prayers.

Witnesses said groups of policemen manned street corners and intersections and a helicopter flew over the city.

By midday, no protesters had showed up in the capital and the police presence significantly decreased.

In the eastern city of Qatif and nearby areas where the country's minority Shiites live, several hundred people staged protests, shouting slogans calling for reforms and equality between Shiites and Sunnis.

In Qatif, the protesters were surrounded by armoured personnel carriers and dozens of riot police in full gear.

On Thursday, violence broke out at another protest in Qatif, when Saudi police opened fire to disperse demonstrators. At least three protesters and one police officer were wounded. Today's protest was largely peaceful.

Activists have been emboldened by other uprisings in the region that have toppled long-time rulers of Tunisia and Egypt. The Saudi activists have set up online groups calling for protests in Riyadh.

Security officials on Friday said security measures around state-run oil giant Saudi Aramco and its oil facilities in the east were beefed up protectively, in case of any violence. The company is based in Dhahran district on the kingdom's eastern coast.

Investors are sensitive to any sign of upheaval in Saudi Arabia because the OPEC leader has been using its spare capacity to make up for oil output lost amid the violent uprising against Libya's government.

When news broke that Saudi Arabian police fired shots to break up the protest on Thursday, prices soared by three dollars in just 12 minutes.

The country's Shiites, who make up 10 % of the kingdom's 23 million citizens, have long complained of discrimination.

The pro-Western monarchy is concerned protests could open footholds for Shiite powerhouse Iran and has accused foreigners of stoking the protests, which are officially forbidden.