Malaysian prosecutors charged 26 ethnic Indians with attempted murder Tuesday, their lawyer said, in connection with major anti-discrimination protests last month.

"Twenty-six Indians were charged in court today for attempted murder of an individual on November 24 during a protest in Batu Caves," N. Ravi, a lawyer acting for the accused, told AFP.

If found guilty they face up to 10 years in jail, he said.

The protest at Batu Caves, the site of an important Hindu temple on the fringes of Kuala Lumpur, occurred on the eve of a mass rally by ethnic Indians in the capital.

At least 8,000 people gathered to protest against discrimination by Muslim Malays who dominate the multicultural nation's population, meeting a stiff response from police who unleashed tear gas and water cannons.

Ravi said the accused, aged between 19 and 46, would fight the allegations and other charges levelled against them including rioting, illegal assembly and causing damage to public property.

"We can raise reasonable doubt against the charges," he said, adding that the 26 were being detained in Pudu jail in downtown Kuala Lumpur.