Police goal protesters in Madagascar

[ad_1] A whole lot took to the streets on September 25 in Madagascar's capital Antananarivo after an enchantment was launched on social media to protest towards the nation's crippling water and electrical energy outages. The protest had been prohibited by the prefect of Antananarivo, who cited the danger of public dysfunction as the rationale for the ban.

Residents of the capital tried to collect on the metropolis's common protest spots however have been pushed again by safety forces. Movies and photographs shared by the Malagasy diaspora and demonstrators present scenes of police violence. A hospital supply stated that 5 folks died within the unrest. Individually, the properties of a Malagasy deputy and a senator have been torched.

Following Thursday's clashes in Antananarivo, authorities have imposed a nightly curfew within the capital, working from 7pm to 5am.

‘We got here with flowers’ Our Observer, Andry (pseudonym), and his buddy, each working in Antananarivo, tried to hitch the demonstration on September 25. Repelled by tear gasoline fired by police, they sought refuge in an alleyway made up of stairs, the place they have been injured by additional tear gasoline grenades.

“Everybody was in good spirits; we have been completely satisfied to see lots of our buddies once more. It was a peaceable motion. We got here with flowers particularly to point out that we did not have weapons and weren't there to assault folks.”

Andry stated that as they approached Ambohijatovo Sq., the place the protest was attributable to happen, safety forces fired tear gasoline, prompting the demonstrators to disperse.

"We then got here to a sort of junction. My buddy and I have been proper in the midst of the gang. And all of the sudden, from one of many lanes of that intersection, an SUV drove straight into us – it actually ploughed into the folks.

These on the entrance began working very quick; those that might get to the aspect tried to guard themselves.

There have been males in blue gendarmerie uniforms with rifles and grenades who charged at us. Within the panic, we tried to flee down a slim alleyway, about 1.5 metres extensive, manufactured from stairs. We took refuge there and, once we obtained inside, we closed the door. They instantly threw stun grenades and tear gasoline grenades at us.”

One other video shared on social media reveals an analogous sample of operation at a unique location within the metropolis. A pickup truck stops, a gaggle of masked males sporting the black uniform of the GSIS – a gendarmerie unit – get out, throw 4 projectiles at demonstrators who have been already fleeing, after which rapidly disperse.

<img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/4be4df30-9d26-11f0-836e-005056a97e36/w:980/image3-51.png" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/4be4df30-9d26-11f0-836e-005056a97e36/w:246/image3-51.png 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/4be4df30-9d26-11f0-836e-005056a97e36/w:388/image3-51.png 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/4be4df30-9d26-11f0-836e-005056a97e36/w:720/image3-51.png 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/4be4df30-9d26-11f0-836e-005056a97e36/w:980/image3-51.png 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="Screenshots of a video posted on Instagram on September 25, 2025, showing a pickup truck carrying a unit of Madagascar’s gendarmerie in Antananarivo. One of the police officers can be seen firing two projectiles at demonstrators. Another police officer throws two projectiles." style="max-height:476px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> Screenshots of a video posted on Instagram on September 25, 2025, displaying a pickup truck carrying a unit of Madagascar’s gendarmerie in Antananarivo. One of many law enforcement officials will be seen firing two projectiles at demonstrators. One other police officer throws two projectiles. © Instagram / gen_z_madagascar ‘The primary grenade exploded between us’ Cops who attacked Andry and the group of protesters taking refuge on the steps fired at the least two tear gasoline canisters over a door blocking the alleyway, in accordance with the video of the scene reported by our Observer.

Photos despatched to us by our Observer and verified by the FRANCE 24 Observers staff present a white car stopping in entrance of an area between two buildings. About ten males, masked and sporting gentle blue uniforms and bulletproof vests, are seen exiting the car. Primarily based on the apparel, the unit seems to belong to Madagascar’s gendarmerie.

<img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/7d76fe0c-9d26-11f0-a265-005056bf30b7/w:980/image4-36.png" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/7d76fe0c-9d26-11f0-a265-005056bf30b7/w:246/image4-36.png 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/7d76fe0c-9d26-11f0-a265-005056bf30b7/w:388/image4-36.png 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/7d76fe0c-9d26-11f0-a265-005056bf30b7/w:720/image4-36.png 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/7d76fe0c-9d26-11f0-a265-005056bf30b7/w:980/image4-36.png 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="Screenshots from a video taken on September 25, 2025, in Antananarivo. Two gendarmerie officers can be seen throwing tear gas grenades over a door behind which the protestors were sheltering." style="max-height:363px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> Screenshots from a video taken on September 25, 2025, in Antananarivo. Two gendarmerie officers will be seen throwing tear gasoline grenades over a door behind which the protestors have been sheltering. © Observers Two grenades have been thrown at 9 and twelve seconds into the video. At 0:31, a cloud of smoke is seen forming within the alleyway after two photographs have been fired into the world the place the protesters have been taking cowl.

<img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/97a8a398-9d26-11f0-87b6-005056bfb2b6/w:980/image2-52.png" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/97a8a398-9d26-11f0-87b6-005056bfb2b6/w:246/image2-52.png 246w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/97a8a398-9d26-11f0-87b6-005056bfb2b6/w:388/image2-52.png 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/97a8a398-9d26-11f0-87b6-005056bfb2b6/w:720/image2-52.png 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/97a8a398-9d26-11f0-87b6-005056bfb2b6/w:980/image2-52.png 980w" sizes="(max-width: 1023px) calc(100vw - 32px), (min-width: 1024px) 850px" alt="Screenshot showing the alleyway where the protesters had taken refuge." style="max-height:1865px" loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> Screenshot displaying the alleyway the place the protesters had taken refuge. © Observers One other video despatched by our Observer clearly reveals the steps of the alley the place the demonstrators have been sheltering, in addition to the tall metallic door over which grenades have been fired. The pickup truck was located on the opposite aspect, on the street.

‘One grenade landed perhaps half a metre from my buddy's head’ "They could not see us as a result of the door was in the way in which. They noticed us go up that path, however the door was closed. It is a very confined space, however they could not see precisely who they have been capturing at. They only knew we have been there.

They tossed the grenades over the door into the hall. And one landed perhaps half a metre from my buddy's head and my arm. He was proper behind me, and I used to be just a little larger up on the steps."

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<img fetchpriority="low" src="https://s.france24.com/media/display/4f758c70-9d27-11f0-ae55-005056bfb2b6/w:1280/p:16x9/capture-d-ecran-2025-09-26-194420.png" srcset="https://s.france24.com/media/display/4f758c70-9d27-11f0-ae55-005056bfb2b6/w:388/p:16x9/capture-d-ecran-2025-09-26-194420.png 388w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/4f758c70-9d27-11f0-ae55-005056bfb2b6/w:720/p:16x9/capture-d-ecran-2025-09-26-194420.png 720w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/4f758c70-9d27-11f0-ae55-005056bfb2b6/w:1024/p:16x9/capture-d-ecran-2025-09-26-194420.png 1024w,https://s.france24.com/media/display/4f758c70-9d27-11f0-ae55-005056bfb2b6/w:1280/p:16x9/capture-d-ecran-2025-09-26-194420.png 1280w" sizes="(max-width: 639px) calc(100vw - 32px), (max-width: 1076px) calc(100vw - 44px), 850px" width="1280" height="720" alt="Video showing the gendarmerie officers firing tear gas grenades at protesters sheltering in the alley, in Antananarivo, on September 25, 2025." loading="lazy" class="a-img "/> Video displaying the gendarmerie officers firing tear gasoline grenades at protesters sheltering within the alley, in Antananarivo, on September 25, 2025. © Observers "It exploded proper between me, my buddy, and one other one that was simply in entrance of me. The door was closed. There have been an unlimited variety of folks on the steps; we might neither transfer ahead nor backward. The primary grenade exploded between us.

After it went off, we went again up. It’s a very good factor different folks have been there, as a result of we couldn’t see, stroll, or breathe anymore. They carried us."

‘My buddy had blood coming from his ear’ Andry shared photos with the Observers staff displaying the accidents he and his buddy sustained. One picture reveals him with a forearm wound from a tear gasoline canister fragment, whereas his buddy was struck within the neck and shoulder.

"We might nonetheless hear explosions exterior. We did not dare to maneuver. We tried calling a number of medical centres, the Pink Cross, and others to seek out out what to do. My buddy had blood coming from his ear. We have been nonetheless too frightened to return exterior to get medical consideration."

Witnesses contacted by the Observers staff, in addition to accounts posted on-line, reported reside ammunition gunfire. We have been unable to independently confirm this info.

A number of industrial districts and storefronts have been looted in a single day Thursday, however the scenario appeared calmer within the capital on Friday. On September 27, a whole bunch of protesters gathered once more in Madagascar's capital and clashed with safety forces.