Protestors riot at Sweden-Israel tennis match

A group of anti-Israeli protesters clashed with riot police outside an Israeli-Swedish Davis Cup tennis match in Sweden on Saturday, but did not break through police lines.

More than 100 masked demonstrators outside a sports arena threw bottles of paint, stones and firecrackers at police in riot squad vans and on horseback, sending the horses into a panic, amid a larger protest against the Scandinavian country's match with Israel.

Due to security concerns, the three-day match is being played in an empty stadium in this southwestern port city, which has a large immigrant population.

The youths clad in black, their faces covered with masks carrying banners saying "Turn left, smash right," and "Boycott Israel" joined a peaceful pro-Palestinian demonstration by about 6,000 people.

About 200 of the hardliners began pelting police with stones, fireworks and paint bombs, Reuters witnesses said, while organizers of the official demonstration shouted at the masked protesters not to use violence against the authorities.

Police said they had detained 10 protesters.

Malmo, which is Sweden's third largest city and is ruled by a left-of-center coalition, was heavily criticised by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and by Israeli players for its decision to close the stadium to the public.

Around 1,000 police officers have cordoned off a large area around the stadium to prevent protesters from getting in.

Sweden and Israel were level at 1-1 in their Davis Cup first round on Friday after two five-set marathons. The doubles match started on Saturday at 1300 GMT.

Tensions between Israel and its Arab neighbours have been at a peak since the three-week Israeli offensive in the Gaza strip that killed more than 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis.