[JURIST] Pro-democracy demonstrators in Nepal [JURIST news archive] marched in the streets again on Monday for a fifth straight day to protest the direct rule government of King Gyanendra [official website], defying curfews [JURIST report], tear gas and rubber bullets. Local press reports say that "scores" of protestors were injured and dozens arrested as they defied Gyanendra's ban [JURIST report] on public meetings in the cities of Kathmandu and Lalitpur.

The bloody protests - backed by all seven political parties and a wide cross-section of the nation's economic classes - were another sign of continued resistance to the King's 14 month-old government. US State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said the Gyanendra should heed protesters' request and called for the immediate return to democracy and a open "dialogue with Nepal's constitutional political parties." AP has more. eKantipur has local coverage and a photo blog of Day 5 of the protests.