Maldivian army soldiers patrol in Male, Maldives, Wednesday, Feb. 8, 2012. The Maldives new president called Wednesday for the formation of a national unity government in this Indian Ocean nation even as police and soldiers kept watch over his predecessor, Mohamed Nasheed, at an undisclosed location. Nasheed resigned Tuesday after police joined protesters against his rule. (AP Photo/Eranga Jayawardena)

MALE, Maldives (AP) — Supporters of former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed rioted through the streets of the capital Wednesday, throwing petrol bombs at police and demanding he be reinstated.

The chaos erupted after Nasheed's successor, President Mohammed Waheed Hassan, appealed for a government of national unity to end the political turmoil that has wracked the country for months.

Nasheed said his resignation Tuesday was a coup and that he was ousted from office at gunpoint.

He demanded the resignation of Hassan, who was his vice president, and promised to fight to get back his job.

"We will come to power again," Nasheed told 2,000 supporters. "We will never step back. I will not accept this coup and will bring justice to the Maldivians."

He then led a street demonstration. Police responded by firing tear gas and arresting two parliamentarians from Nasheed's party.

Nasheed's supporters began rioting, throwing fire bombs and vandalizing a private TV station that had been critical of Nasheed's government.