Police have clashed with demonstrators walking out in front of the Ministry of Interior in Tunisia's capital Tunis Saturday.

Security forces have used tear gas to disperse the 10,000-strong crowd, which answered by throwing stones and tearing down billboards and benches to build barricades.

Exasperated Tunisians have gathered in the most large-scale protests since the ousting of unwanted president Zine El Abidine Ben Ali in mid-January.

They have demanded the resignation of interim government of Mohamed Ghannouchi, who has been PM under Ben Ali since 1999 and has occupied key ministerial positions since 1989.

Among the strongest worries that have motivated the protests of the Tunisian people is an ailing economy, rising unemployment, and perceived chronic corruption in the government.

Friday Ghannouchi had announced that the country will hold free general elections no later than mid-July.

Tensions that errupted Saturday started to build up Friday evening, soon after Ghannouchi's statement, which made it clear that for the time being he has no intention to step down.

In the meanwhile, Tunisia has been flooded by thousands of refugees fleeing neighboring Lybia, where protests against long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi turned bloody, with some sources claiming dead in the thousands.

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