The Angolan police dispersed this Saturday, in Luanda, the march against the increase in fuel prices and the end of street sales, using tear gas against the protesters, causing panic and fainting, with reports of some injured and detained.
The police charge occurred shortly after the march began its journey towards Mutamba, some 500 meters from the concentration place, next to the Santana cemetery.
The march, called by activists and members of Angolan civil society, began in a fragmented manner at the Largo do Cemitério da Santa Ana, with the protesters heading towards Avenida Deolinda Rodrigues, shortly after 12:30 p.m., half an hour before the scheduled time.
The movement of hundreds of protesters, including activists, members of civil society, motorcycle taxi drivers and even “zungueiras” (street vendors) surprised the police at the scene, a fact that prompted a rapid deployment after being “swallowed” by the crowd. .
Given the speed of the protesters, who were marching in both lanes of the avenue, the intervention of the Rapid Intervention Police (PIR) was requested, which installed a barrier just above the viaduct of the Operative Unit.
The barrier erected by the PIR infuriated the demonstrators who tried to cross the viaduct, shouting “the police belong to the people and they are not from the MPLA (governing party)”, while another wing of the march circulated along one of the lanes under the viaduct. without obstacles.
Protesters “unable” to march on the viaduct insisted on the route, and in response, the police resorted to tear gas, causing panic and consequently the dispersal of the march.
For almost half an hour, the police fired tear gas against the protesters who insisted on moving along the viaduct, but also against those who took refuge in the vicinity of the Popular neighborhood, the Rangel district and the Congolese market.
Panic gripped that area, people fainted, while others sought places of refuge and the police reinforced their numbers even more, with vehicles and dogs. Vehicular traffic was cut off, with reports of detainees and injuries.
In the areas surrounding the Largo 1.º de Maio, the police also installed a strong police apparatus and tear gas was also heard to disperse the protesters who were marching under the viaduct.
The float, where some of the conveners were, who guided the protesters with slogans, did not cross the police cordon that was on that viaduct either.
“Down with misery”, “We don’t want to survive, we want to live”, “The price of gasoline has risen, rice has risen, the cost of living has risen, only wages have not risen” were some of the phrases of the banners of the demonstrators, who joined the protest, considered “peaceful” by the organization.
Motorcycle taxi drivers, who say they are being penalized for the rise in fuel prices, also joined the demonstration, complaining about the difficulties in carrying out their activity and supporting their families.
“We come to protest against the price of gasoline, which is very expensive, many of us cannot fill up our motorcycles, we have been facing bad days,” José Manda told Lusa.
António Manuel Tomás, also a motorcycle taxi driver, joined the march to protest against the increase in the price of fuel and basic food products.
“I came here because what we are seeing now is terrible, life is not favorable, things in the warehouses are going up, we cannot work to support the family,” he lamented.
Lamentations also arose in the words of the “zungueira” Teresa Araújo, who complained about the difficulties due to the end of street sales in the Angolan capital and the current prices of basic products.
“I came here because our country is in a bad state, the shops are closed, we are single women, we pay for school, food, a bag of rice has risen to 14,000 kwanzas (17.9 euros) and therefore it is very bad. “He shot, to the applause of the rest of his colleagues.
Source: TSF
