Turkish police used water cannon, tear gas and pepper spray yesterday to disperse hundreds of demonstrators protesting against the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank held in Istanbul.

Dozens of masked protesters shattered the windows of a McDonald's restaurant and several banks, also damaging vehicles as they ran into the streets behind Istanbul's Taksim Square, which is less than a kilometre from the venue of the IMF and World Bank meeting.

The protesters, armed with firebombs and slings, repeatedly confronted the police in narrow backstreets but a heavy police presence prevented them from reaching the meeting venue.

Thousands of police wearing gas masks and protective gear erected barriers around the venue and detained more than 70 protesters, said Istanbul Governor Muammer Guler.