Baghdad (CNN) -- At least five people were injured when bodyguards for a top Iraqi official opened fire on stone-throwing Sunni demonstrators Sunday, the country's interior ministry said. The clashes broke out after Deputy Prime Minister Saleh al-Mutlaq arrived to address crowds protesting in a plaza in the western Iraqi city of Ramadi. Tens of thousands of demonstrators have been there for nearly a week, demanding that the Shiite-led government stop what they call second-class treatment of Iraq's Sunni residents. Some demonstrators Sunday called for al-Multaq, who is Sunni, to submit his resignation to Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's government. Protesters chanted, "Leave! Leave!" and threw stones at him, witnesses told CNN.
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Clashes break out after Iraq's deputy prime minister arrives to address protesters
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Some demonstrators called for him to resign and threw stones at the stage, witnesses say
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The violence comes after nearly a week of protests
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Sunni demonstrators say the government is treating them like second-class citizens
In the wake of the protests, @placeholder has defended his government.