Protesters storm Kuwait parliament

Once inside, they stood at the National Assembly's podium and chanted, calling for Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser al-Mohammad al-Sabah to step down.

The group who stormed the Gulf state's parliament on Wednesday night included some opposition lawmakers.

Local media reports said they were forced outside by security officials and joined the crowd of demonstrators.

Echoing cries made by protesters in Egypt, who compelled Hosni Mubarak to step down after three decades as president, the crowd chanted: "The people want to bring down the head (of government)."

Witnesses told local news organisations that riot police had beaten some demonstrators as they assembled outside parliament.

Opposition building

Protesters are staging weekly demonstrations against the prime minister and the government.

Kuwait has so far escaped the scale of protests that brought down Mubarak and Zine al-Abedine Ben Ali before him, thanks to a generous welfare system. But opposition is building against Prime Minister Sheikh Nasser