KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Ugandan police have fired tear gas to break up a demonstration by journalists protesting alleged abuse by the police.

The journalists were stopped Monday while trying to walk to the office of the police chief with a petition alleging police brutality.

Police spokesman Fred Enanga said the march was broken up due to "poor organization."

Ugandan security forces are frequently accused of restricting live coverage of demonstrations deemed to be against long-time leader Yoweri Museveni, who is being challenged by a musician popular with young people.

In the past week security forces deployed heavily at Makerere University in the capital, Kampala, to quell a student protest over tuition fees.

Some journalists were injured or attacked as police respond to protest events there, according to the Uganda Editors' Guild.