The Papua New Guinea police say two of their officers have been charged with murder following the death of a man who was beaten in their custody on Friday.
The police say the death led the man's clan to come in to protest in the West New Britain capital of Kimbe.
The acting police commissioner Tony Wagambie says opportunists took advantage of the situation to loot stores and damage police cars.
Mr Wagambie says the dead man who had been resisting arrest, was hit on the head and had his arm broken.
"The police picked somebody up and took to the station, whilst going to the station the man was resisting arrest and so forth. So there was a scuffle in the streets and ended up in the police station and the person collapsed and was taken to hospital and died afterwards."
Tony Wagambie says police officers were brought in from Port Moresby and Kimbe is now peaceful.
