JAKARTA, Aug 22 (Reuters) - Police fired tear gas and water cannon on Wednesday to disperse hundreds taking part in a protest at an airport in the eastern Indonesian province of North Maluku linked to a local political dispute, police said.

Fifteen people were injured in the protests over the exclusion of a candidate they support, a revered sultan, in the race for provincial governor, said police chief Brigadier General Mustopa.

The crowd had converged on the airport in the provincial capital, Ternate, following rumours that the head of the local election commission blamed for the candidate's failure to contest the poll was leaving for Jakarta, he said.

The airport, which only serves domestic flights, was closed and would reopen on Thursday, the police chief said.

"We tried to take persuasive measures but they responded by throwing rocks and bottles at us and vandalised the airport," Mustopa said by telephone.

He said 10 protesters and five police had been injured.

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