Police in Madagascar’s capital, Antananarivo, fired teargas and rubber bullets on Thursday to disperse hundreds of protesters demonstrating against persistent water and electricity shortages.
Authorities had banned the protest a day earlier, but demonstrators defied the order, attempting to push through police barricades to reach Ambohijatovo district, the designated meeting point in central Antananarivo.
Chanting and waving placards that read “Let us make our rights heard,” “Stop a life of yellow jerrycans and darkness,” and “We don’t want trouble, we just want our rights,” the mostly young protesters demanded an end to the outages that have plagued the Indian Ocean nation.
By mid-morning, anti-riot police in white 4×4 vehicles moved in, firing teargas to break up the gathering. At least three demonstrators were arrested, according to eyewitness accounts.
The protest, largely coordinated through social media, saw no political leaders in attendance.
Despite being rich in natural resources and famous for its unique biodiversity, Madagascar remains one of the world’s poorest countries. World Bank data shows that as of 2022, around 75 percent of its 30 million citizens lived below the poverty line.
