The Collective of Candidates and its supporters were unable to access the Place du 13 Mai next Saturday. The police, who arrived very early on the square, blocked all the exits to get there. Tear gas grenades were fired at demonstrators who defied the ban on gatherings. Despite this violent repression and its unsuccessful attempt, the Collective is not giving up and plans once again to take over this legendary square today.
Antaninandro, Behoririka and Tsaralalana were the main places of clashes during last Saturday’s demonstration, they were in fact the rallying points of the demonstrators for May 13 Square. The 10 candidates with opposition deputies were spread across these three locations to lead their movement. Although they were not spared from the effects of the tear gas, no injuries were noted among them. On the other hand, Marc Ravalomanana’s vehicle was targeted by a jet of tear gas, thus sustaining quite significant damage.
Several people were injured and arrested last Saturday among supporters of the Collective. The Antananarivo police chief, General Angelo Ravelonarivo, in his intervention report reported 11 arrests of civilians. According to consistent sources, they should be brought before the Anosy court this Monday morning. The brutality of certain elements of the police towards demonstrators was strongly denounced last Saturday, videos broadcast on social networks showed soldiers and gendarmes brutalizing and attacking demonstrators and simple passers-by in the street .
The presence of a group of men, so-called big guns, was also noticed on Saturday near Anosy and Tsaralalana. They say they are employees of the Urban Commune of Antananarivo and passed before the police without being worried. In particular, they forced the supporters of the candidates’ collective to disperse towards Ambodifiakarana in Isotry. Witnesses confirm that it is the same group of individuals who caused mayhem in Andavamamba recently during a march by the candidates’ collective.