KUWAIT CITY –  Kuwait police have fired tear gas and stun grenades to disperse several thousand protesters calling for the release of an opposition activist and purge of corrupt judges.

On Sunday, more than 2,000 people defied government orders not to hold unauthorized protests. They marched from Kuwait’s Grand Mosque after traditional evening Ramadan prayers and into the old market where police broke up the demonstration.

It’s the fourth consecutive day that police have used tear gas to break up unauthorized anti-corruption protests in the Gulf Arab monarchy.

The protesters are demanding the release of Musallam al-Barrack, a former opposition lawmaker who was ordered detained in an investigation into allegations he insulted the judiciary. Al-Barrack revealed documents he alleges prove huge sums of illicit financial transfers were made to senior officials, including judges.