Hundreds of Algerians defy police to mark protest anniversary

Issued on: 22/02/2021 – 16:59

Chanting “A civilian state not a army state!”, “Sufficient is sufficient!” and “The folks need independence!”, protesters walked by way of the centre of the capital, waving nationwide flags, watched by giant numbers of police.

Among the protesters hope to revive the twice-weekly Hirak protests that surged by way of Algerian cities from February 2019 for greater than a yr, recurrently bringing tens of hundreds of individuals to the streets till the worldwide pandemic started.

“We’re decided to proceed our battle till victory,” stated Djamel Habi, a pupil.

Nonetheless, different protesters stated the march was symbolic relatively than a return to common demonstrations, or that and not using a clear opposition management they weren’t but certain whether or not to proceed with protests.

The Hirak motion in April 2019 pressured longtime president Abdelaziz Bouteflika into resigning, and Monday’s demonstration in Algiers was the biggest since rallies have been suspended in March final yr as a result of pandemic.

Heavy safety presence in Algiers

Safety checkpoints created visitors jams throughout the town, with identification checks carried out round key flashpoints, with a number of arrests made.

Police tried to dam protesters from gathering across the Grand Publish Workplace, which was on the coronary heart of the mass protests that kicked off in Algiers and a number of other different cities on February 22, 2019 to oppose Bouteflika’s bid for a fifth time period.

Elsewhere within the nation, marches have been being held Monday together with in Annaba, Oran, Setif and Mostaganem, based on witnesses and accounts on social media.

‘Standard folks’

On the eve of the Hirak second anniversary, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune introduced a restricted authorities reshuffle in a bid to move off renewed rallies.

The reshuffle noticed few main modifications by Tebboune, who was as soon as a major minister underneath Bouteflika.

Amongst these retained are Prime Minister Abdelaziz Djerad and Justice Minister Belkacem Zeghmati, seen as an emblem of Algeria’s judicial crackdown on protesters and opposition activists.

Tebboune additionally signed a decree dissolving parliament, clearing the best way for early elections, for which no date has but been set.

In a gesture of appeasement on Thursday, he introduced pardons which have led to this point to the discharge of just about 40 pro-democracy activists, together with opposition determine Rachid Nekkaz and journalist Khaled Drareni, who has turn into an emblem of a battle for a free press.

Tebboune returned to Algeria final week after spending many of the previous 4 months in Germany receiving medical therapy after contracting Covid-19.

Zaki Hannache, a 33-year-old activist, stated Hirak supporters have been unimpressed by the president’s reshuffle and his name for early legislative polls.

“The reshuffle would not curiosity me, it is the identical previous folks. Similar factor with parliament, the brand new ones (deputies) will work, like the present regime, for their very own pursuits, not for the folks,” he stated.

Final Tuesday, hundreds of Algerians rallied within the northern city of Kherrata, the place the primary main protest erupted in 2019 towards Bouteflika’s bid for a fifth presidential time period.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP and REUTERS)