Tear gas fired during Syria funeral

DERAA, Syria, March 19 (UPI) -- Activists say Syrian secret police arrested one person Saturday and security forces fired tear gas to breakup thousands of mourners at a funeral outside Deraa.

The violence began as thousands of people gathered for the funeral of two people killed in protests Friday began chanting "God, Syria, freedom," the BCC reported.

A witness told a BBC correspondent that anger against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was growing in the southern city. Al-Assad succeeded his father as leader of the Middle East nation ruled by its Baath party for nearly half a century.

The BBC said security forces had sealed off Deraa making it hard for mourners to re-enter the city.

The United States and the United Nations have condemned the violence against the protesters.