Some 200 protesters, demanding that the government resign, gathered in Zagreb's Cvjetni square at 1800 hours Monday for a peaceful protest, organised through the online social network Facebook.

After another 300 people joined them, the protesters headed towards the central Ban Josip Jelacic square, without the protest organiser Ivan Pernar, and marched further on to St. Mark's Square, the seat of the government and parliament.

They were stopped by the police in Radiceva Street, as protests in the square are banned under the Public Order Act of 2005.

The police banned Pernar, the organiser of last week's anti-government protests in Zagreb, from approaching St. Mark's Square and the nearby streets.

In the Cvjetni Trg square, Pernar reiterated the request that Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor and Interior Minister Tomislav Karamarko be replaced.

After they were prevented from going to St. Mark's Square, the protesters, whose number grew to 1,000, headed towards Trg Zrtava Fasizma square where the offices of the Croatian Democratic Union (HDZ) are located. The building where the HDZ offices are located is under a heavy police protection.