The president of Colombia has ordered a curfew in the nation's capital amid unrest and protests after a massive anti-government march.

Ivan Duque said that he was invoking the measure to contain violent clashes that have erupted between protesters and Bogota's police. Officers had repelled a large crowd of protesters in the city's Plaza Bolivar on Friday in which demonstrators voiced their anger at the government by banging pots and pans.

The curfew, which will cover three districts in the city overnight, follows a march on Thursday in which an estimated 250,000 people demonstrated in Bogota, one of the largest protests in Colombian history. The march ended with skirmishes between police and protesters. Three people were killed in what authorities said were violent looting incidents. President Duque said the protesters were "taking advantage of the protest to sow chaos."

Enrique Peñalosa, Bogota's mayor, confirmed that the curfew will cover the neighbourhoods of Bosa, Ciudad Bolivar and Kennedy: "From 9pm the curfew extends to the rest of the city. The curfews end at 6am on Saturday."

However, there were doubts about Colombian authorities' control of the protests last night after hundreds of demonstrators defied the curfew and set up picket lines outside President Duque's home in Bogota.