Compaore teargasses protesters in Ouagadougou

Blaise Compaore: in power since 1987

Police in Burkina Faso fired tear gas on Thursday to push back protesters as parliament readied to vote on controversial constitutional changes to allow President Blaise Compaore to extend his 27-year rule.

The opposition in the landlocked country had called for demonstrators to block parliament over the changes, which the European Union and the United State have warned could jeopardise stability in the nation.

Peaceful demonstration before the riot police came in