LUANDA, June 17 (Reuters) - Angolan police fired tear gas in the capital Luanda and other cities Benguela and Namibe as thousands of protesters took to the streets a week after clashes over a recent fuel hike killed at least five people. President Joao Lourenco on June 8 fired the economic coordination minister and replaced him with the central bank governor in the wake of the deadly protests. Local media at the time quoted Angolan Economic Coordination Minister Manuel Nunes Junior, who was subsequently fired, saying the aim was to rein in government spending. On Saturday in Benguela, a large crowd of protesters holding cardboard placards were shown on social and local media as anti-riot police with batons and helmets patrolled the streets. In Luanda, police shot teargas to control the crowd, with TV footage showing at least one burning barricade spewing smoke.

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Persons: Joao Lourenco, Africa’s, Manuel Nunes Junior, teargas, Miguel Gomes, Wendell Roelf, Andrew Cawthorne Organizations: Angolan, Angolan Economic, Police, Thomson Locations: LUANDA, Luanda, Benguela, Namibe, Nigeria, Angolan