Tunisian police fired teargas late on Saturday to disperse violent protests in the southern town of Sidi Bouzid, cradle of the country's revolution and hometown of slain opposition figure Mohamed Brahmi, witnesses said.

Angry demonstrators, who came out to protest Thursday's assassination of Brahmi, threw rocks at police, said local resident Mahdi al-Horshani.

"Hundreds of protesters lit tyres on fire to block roads and they threw rocks at the police," he told Reuters by telephone. "There is a lot of anger and frustration at the situation."