Katmandu, Nepal ? Baton-wielding police beat protesting Nepali journalists Saturday as thousands of people marched peacefully in the capital to demand the restoration of democracy.

Shops and businesses closed across much of the country as the opposition pressed a general strike. Tensions had eased in the previous two days due to the Nepali New Year’s holiday.

Thousands of people marched for miles Saturday afternoon along the ring road encircling Katmandu, shouting: “Down with the monarchy! Salute the republic!”

“Life will be brought to a standstill,” said Subash Nemwang, of the Communist Party of Nepal, one of the seven opposition parties organizing the strike and protests, which entered their 10th day Saturday.

About 200 journalists tried to march through Katmandu on Saturday morning to demand more press freedom and the release of dozens of reporters detained since King Gyanendra seized absolute power 14 months ago.

Police blocked the rally and charged with batons, injuring seven people and detaining at least a dozen, organizers said.

Policemen try to restrain opposition party supporters as they attempt to break a barricade during a march in Katmandu, Nepal, Saturday April 15, 2006. Baton-wielding police beat journalists who were protesting against a media clampdown in the Nepalese capital on Saturday, as a general strike called by the opposition to demand the king's ouster shut down this Himalayan nation.

“We will continue … protests until all restrictions on the media are fully lifted,” said Bishnu Nisthuri, of the Federation of Nepalese Journalists.

There were demonstrations demanding King Gyanendra relinquish power in numerous other towns and cities, officials and local media said.

“There should be no constitutional monarchy. There should be pure democracy because the monarchy has been very bad to the people of Nepal,” said one of the Katmandu marchers, 24-year-old agriculture student Ujwal Dhakal.

The Katmandu protest moved through neighborhoods in the capital that have been flashpoints for violence between protesters and police. It remained peaceful until demonstrators tried to enter the city center, where rallies are banned.

When police blocked their way across a small bridge, a brief melee broke out as officers beat them back with batons and fired a few cylinders of tear gas. No one was injured in the skirmish, which ended within minutes. The protest ended a short while later.