Hundreds of riot police, many armed with batons and shields, were on the capital’s streets, which were littered with rocks and tear gas canisters after the protesters were dispersed.
An AFP reporter saw more than a dozen people – including several monks – rounded up by police. Officers beat a number of protesters in their custody and left several bleeding.
The situation appeared to have calmed down by Tuesday afternoon.
The Cambodian Centre for Human Rights said it “strongly condemns the violent turn of events” and urged the government to investigate the shooting – the second death of a civilian in the Cambodian capital in two months.
Opposition rallies against Hun Sen’s ruling party turned violent in September, leaving one protester dead.
SL workers have been demonstrating periodically for weeks in a dispute with employers that includes claims of intimidation over the use of military police in factory inspections.
Cambodia’s multibillion-dollar garment industry, which employs about 650,000 people, is a key source of foreign income for the impoverished country.
Disputes over pay and working conditions are common in the sector, where workers can earn around $110 a month with overtime.
In July the International Labour Organisation accused Cambodia of backsliding in efforts to improve working conditions in the sector.
The kingdom was failing to make progress in areas such as worker and fire safety and the use of child labour, it said in a report.
Prime Minister Hun Sen has said protests may imperil the country’s garment industry by persuading firms to relocate to Myanmar, Laos and India where labour is cheaper.
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