Thousands in Streets of Algiers Demanding Change of Governme

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of Algeria's capital and other main cities demanding the government's ouster, mirroring protests in fellow North African countries Egypt and Tunisia.
A day after pro-democracy protesters drove Egypt's longtime leader Hosni Mubarak from power, Algerians were in the streets demanding their own President Abdelaziz Bouteflika leave office.
Protesters chanting, "No to the police state!" and "Bouteflika out!". News reports say crowds were in the thousands but far out numbered by riot police.
Protests also took place in other cities, including the Mediterranean¹ hub of Oran, also against government orders.
In the capital city, demonstrators skirmished with the riot police. Journalists on the scene reported several arrests.
One protester told France-Info radio he was afraid, but he was on the street anyway so he and his children could live in liberty. The power may not fall right away, he said, but it will fall eventually.
Saturday's protests were organized by a new umbrella group, the National Coalition² for Change and Democracy. But they have not been backed by Algeria's main trade unions or banned Islamist groups.
Many of the same ingredients fueling the Tunisian and Egyptian protests are also present in Algeria - high unemployment, a growing gap between rich and poor and a large and restless youth population.
In January, riots sparked by high prices and unemployment killed at least five people and injured hundreds. At least four Algerians have also died from self-immolation, apparently³ inspired by a similar act in Tunisia that unleashed⁴ protests that eventually toppled the Tunisian government.

1 Mediterranean   

adj.地中海的；地中海沿岸的

参考例句：

• The houses are Mediterranean in character.这些房子都属地中海风格。
• Gibraltar is the key to the Mediterranean.直布罗陀是地中海的要冲。

2 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

3 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

4 unleashed   

v.把（感情、力量等）释放出来，发泄( unleash的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The government's proposals unleashed a storm of protest in the press. 政府的提案引发了新闻界的抗议浪潮。
• The full force of his rage was unleashed against me. 他把所有的怒气都发泄在我身上。 来自《简明英汉词典》