Authorities in Madagascar imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the capital, after protests over power outages and water shortages reportedly turned violent.
Police fired teargas to disperse the thousands of mostly youth protesters who were marching and carrying placards, in Antananarivo, the capital.
“There are unfortunately individuals taking advantage of the situation to destroy other people’s property,” General Angelo Ravelonarivo, who heads a joint security body that includes the police and the military, said in a statement.
To protect “the population and their belongings,” the security forces decided to impose a curfew from 7 p.m. to 5 a.m., “until public order is restored,” the statement said.
Some blame the government of President Andry Rajoelina, who was re-elected in 2023, for not improving conditions.
Shops and homes were reportedly looted.
On Wednesday, the national police chief, Jean Herbert Andriantahiana Rakotomalala, warned that security forces would “take firm preventive…measures against those tempted to break the law.”
Reuters/Hauwa M.