Story highlights Thousands of elderly Venezuelans marched against President Nicolas Maduro

Some demonstrators shielded their faces from bursts of police pepper spray

(CNN) This time it was the "abuelitos" -- Venezuela's grandparents -- who took to the streets.

On Friday, the face of the latest in an almost daily series of sometimes deadly protests against the government of President Nicolas Maduro changed from the bandana-wearing, rock-throwing rage of the country's youth to the lined faces and mournful eyes of its oldest citizens.

An elderly woman with a walker leads a group of desmonstrators during a grandparents' march on the streets of Venezuela's capital on Friday.

Thousands of elderly Venezuelans, some accompanied by their grandchildren, encountered lines of riot police officers blocking parts of the so-called "Grandparents' March" through the streets of Caracas.

Al grito de abuelos en la calle ¡No tenemos miedo! #PorNuestrosNietos pic.twitter.com/IPKEJzJNxQ — Voluntad Popular (@VoluntadPopular) May 12, 2017

Some demonstrators pushed against the plastic shields of officers, who at times responded with bursts of pepper spray, according to videos posted on social media.

A video posted by Caracas Mayor Helen Fernandez showed marchers shielding their faces from what she said was police pepper spray.

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