Estonian police confronted youths throwing petrol bombs Enlarge Image

Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets after new clashes erupted over the removal of a Soviet war memorial.

Police were confronted by mainly ethnic Russian demonstrators, some of whom threw petrol bombs and were involved in looting.

Estonia says the memorial symbolised Soviet occupation. Supporters say it celebrated heroes who fought the Nazis.

The monument was removed o­n Friday and taken to a secret location.

One person died and more than 40 were injured after Thursday night's clashes.

Looting

Correspondents said a crowd of more than 1,000 demonstrators gathered o­n Friday evening where the monument used to stand.

ESTONIA-RUSSIA TIES 1918: Estonia gained independence from Russia 1940: Forcibly incorporated into Soviet Union 1941-1944: Occupied by Nazi Germany 1944: Soviets return as Nazis retreat 1991: Gains independence as Soviet Union collapses 1994: Last Russian forces leave Estonia Now: Ethnic Russians make up quarter of Estonia's 1.3m people History at the heart of row In pictures: Thursday clashes Have Your Say

Violence broke out in Tallinn's Freedom Square. A BBC reporter saw at least five injured people being carried away.

Some of the demonstrators waved Russian flags and chanted "Rossiya, Rossiya" (Russia, Russia).

There were reports of looting at department stores and other shops.

By Saturday morning the situation in central Tallinn was described as calm, but the authorities are braced for more trouble.

There were also reports of rioting and looting in the towns of Johvi and Kohtla-Jarve, in a mainly ethnic Russian region northeast of Tallinn.

AFP news agency said that in Johvi looters set fire to a statue of an Estonian general who fought the Russians during the country's 1918 war of independence.

The decision to remove the Soviet monument has strained relations with Russia, which called it "blasphemous".

Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Russia would "take serious steps", and Russia's Federation Council (upper house) called for diplomatic relations with Estonia to be cut.

'Criminal riots'

More than a quarter of Estonia's 1.3m people are ethnically Russian, and speak the language.

HAVE YOUR SAY The statue was a symbol of occupation in Estonia and should have been removed in 1991 Kaarel, Tallinn Send us your comments

One of the protesters told the BBC: "It's like neo-Nazism has raised its head. It will be a great disaster for connections between the two societies."

Estonia's government would not reveal where it took the six-foot (1.83m) statue, but spokesman Martin Jasko said it would ultimately be placed at the military cemetery in Tallinn.

The memorial, a bronze statue of a Soviet soldier, was erected in 1947. The remains of Soviet soldiers are thought to be buried nearby.

Estonian officials said it had to be moved to a cemetery because the site attracted both Russian and Estonian nationalists.