BUJUMBURA: More than 1,000 people in Burundi participated in a government-backed demonstration in the capital, Bujumbura, to protest France's proposal approved by the UN Security Council to deploy UN police to the country.

Led by the mayor of Bujumbura Freddy Mbonimpa, the protesters Saturday marched through the streets to the French Embassy.

Burundi has been wracked by turmoil since April 2015 when President Pierre Nkurunziza launched his campaign for a third term in office that many opposed as unconstitutional. Nkurunziza was re-elected in July 2015.

The Security Council agreed Friday to send a contingent of 228 United Nations police to Burundi to control the continuing violence and protect human rights in the East African nation. Burundi has said it would accept no more than 50 UN police.