Zimbabwe police fired tear gas against opposition protesters who were trying to get to a rally in the capital, Harare, on Wednesday, after a protest march was banned by a court.

According to Nelson Chamisa, the opposition party's spokesman, earlier a march planned by supporters of Morgan Tsvangirai's Movement for Democratic Change was banned by police, and after the party appealed it, the court only agreed with a stadium rally, the Associated Press reports.

Tsvangirai was detained for five hours due to an attempt to keep the protest on.

He was released before the beginning of the demonstrations.

The opposition is asking for political reforms ahead elections due March.

Several hundred opposition supporters found themselves, after the court ruling, walking with placards from the headquarters of the party to downtown Harare.

They started their way to the Glamis Stadium, but four blocks later they were attacked by police with tear gas saying that they are breaking the court order and were dispersed.

Opposition lawyer Alec Muchadehama said that some of the demonstrators were injured and many were arrested.

He said: "Police behavior was unlawful."

Later on, Tsvangirai addressed a small group of people outside the stadium saying that his party will go on with the protests in the country.

He was arrested around 4 a.m. from his home in Harare and released after five hours.

Nelson Chamisa said that the ban on the march was made on purpose in front of the efforts to try to resolve the Zimbabwe crisis.

He said: “It's a mockery of [South African] President [Thabo] Mbeki's efforts. It's a mockery of African solutions to African problems. It's a mockery to humankind.”

A new constitution before the elections, that is what the party is asking for.

MDC warned that they will boycott the polls if the preparations for them turn out to be wrong and if the election are not free and fair.