Violent clashes erupted Friday between police and Islamists in Pakistan's eastern city of Lahore after security forces tried to stop thousands of demonstrators from leaving for the capital, Islamabad, where they planned to stage a pro-Palestinian rally outside the U.S. Embassy, officials said.

The clashes in the capital of Punjab province began Thursday but intensified Friday after police baton-charged the demonstrators and fired tear gas to disperse them at multiple locations.

Protesters hurled stones at officers in response.

In a statement, the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan party, or TLP, claimed that two of its supporters had been killed and 50 others injured since Thursday.

There was no immediate comment from the Punjab provincial government, which is headed by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif, the niece of the prime minister.

The protest comes after Hamas and Israel agreed to a ceasefire plan brokered by U.S. President Donald Trump.

Police officers were swinging batons and firing tear gas to disperse demonstrators near the main TLP office, according to witnesses, who said residents also faced severe difficulties because of the tear gas.

The violence has disrupted daily life in parts of Lahore, as residents struggled to reach home because of road closures and continued clashes.

On Friday, authorities shut schools, colleges and universities in Lahore, a city of more than 14 million people.

The government of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has suspended mobile internet service in Islamabad and nearby Rawalpindi as part of measures aimed at preventing demonstrators from reaching the national capital.

Authorities have also placed shipping containers along the main motorway, the main highways and roads leading to Islamabad to block protesters.

Lahore is about 350 kilometers (210 miles) from Islamabad.

The U.S. Embassy in Islamabad issued a security alert ahead of the march, warning of possible disruptions and urging American citizens to exercise caution.

Deputy Interior Minister Talal Chaudhry said Thursday that the TLP had not submitted a request for permission to hold the rally. The group denied the claim, saying it had applied for permission for a peaceful march to express solidarity with Palestinians.

The TLP, known for staging disruptive and sometimes violent protests, has drawn criticism online. But many users have accused the government of overreacting by blocking roads even before the demonstrators began their march.

AP Video shot by Jahan Zaib