Clashes between Ravalomanana's supporters and the police<

The second day of demonstrations by candidate Marc Ravalomanana's support committees turned into scuffles yesterday. Contrary to their first demonstration on December 29, the security forces, who were lenient, showed intransigence yesterday by preventing the demonstrators from entering the forecourt of the town hall in Analakely. By squaring the town hall, access to the town hall of Antananarivo has even been filtered.

Around 11 a.m., determined demonstrators fought their way down the chain-link fence of City Hall. Once they were inside, law enforcement fired tear gas canisters to “get them home,” in the words of the men in fatigues. It was a general rescue. The crowd rushed in knocking down the rest of the fence.

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Despite this intervention by the police, the demonstrators did not leave the scene definitively. Most had remained in the vicinity of the Place du 13 mai. Other less pacifist demonstrators burned tires on Independence Avenue and some erected roadblocks in Andohan'Analakely. The police managed to dislodge them. Towards the beginning of the afternoon, all of Analakely was almost deserted. The shops closed, only a few vehicles circulated, even the street vendors deserted the place. At 4 p.m., groups of demonstrators began to return to the scene but once again the police used tear gas to disperse them.

In addition to the material damage and a few cases of injuries, several arrests took place yesterday. But neither the police, nor the hospitals, nor the leaders of the demonstration have drawn up an official assessment of the situation. Especially since the authorities, in particular the interim President and the Prime Minister, are walled in their silence in the face of the situation.