Police broke up a banned pro-democracy demonstration in the Algerian capital on Saturday leaving several people injured, the leader of an opposition party that organised the rally told AFP.

"There are several injured... and numerous arrests," Said Sadi, the head of the Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD), said.

Among those arrested was the head of the party's parliamentary group, Othmane Amazouz, he said.

About 300 people had defied a ban to attempt to hold the demonstration but were confronted by dozens of police armed with batons, tear gas and plexiglas shields, he said.