ULAANBAATAR, Mongolia (AP) — Mongolia’s president declared a four-day state of emergency in the capital early Wednesday after angry protesters clashed with police and stormed the headquarters of the ruling political party alleging fraud in last weekend’s parliamentary election.

President Nambaryn Enkhbayar’s decree allows police to use force in dealing with thousands of rock-throwing protesters who mobbed the Mongolian People’s Revolutionary Party headquarters Tuesday and set it on fire. The crowd had not dispersed by Tuesday night, despite repeated volleys of tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons.

“Police will use necessary force to crack down on criminals who are looting private and government property,” said Munkhorgil, the minister of justice and home affairs, who like some Mongolians goes by one name. Ulaanbaatar was also placed under a 10 p.m. to 8 a.m. curfew, he said.

The crowd thinned slightly after the emergency declaration in the early hours of Wednesday, though some protesters had begun looting paintings from an art gallery and televisions from government offices. Others vandalized cars parked on downtown streets.

Enkhbayar, a ruling party member, acknowledged the protesters’ complaints over results of the election but appealed for calm.

“Let’s sit down and solve the election fraud,” he said on national TV.

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written by Andrew