Hundreds of Chilean demonstrators have clashed with the police after the screening of a documentary praising the former military government of General Augusto Pinochet, BBC News reported.

Pablo Zalaquett, mayor of the capital, Santiago, said police were attacked in several areas of the city centre and there was extensive damage to property.

Police used tear gas and water cannon to break up the demonstration.

Gen Pinochet came to power in a coup in 1973, ruling until 1990.

The film's screening has pitted supporters of the late general, who claim the right to free speech, against relatives of victims of his regime, who are outraged at the tone of the documentary.

The mayor said hundreds of anti-Pinochet demonstrators organised in groups continued to launch "coordinated attacks" in the centre of Santiago hours after the screening at the Caupolican theatre.

"As I said before, I would prefer the event not to have taken place because we all knew what was going to happen," Mr Zalaquett told CNN. "Chile needs to look forward. We are tired. Many people say they are out there to defend human rights, but they just come to destroy and loot."

Gen Pinochet led a coup against the democratically-elected Marxist president of Chile, Salvador Allende, on 11 September 1973 and only left power in 1990.

The Chilean government estimates that more than 3,000 people were killed during the Pinochet years, included those whose bodies have not been found. Thousands more were tortured, arrested or forced into exile during his rule.