Pacific march of the legalistic demonstrators toward Ambohijatovo

Last minute changes and first successful bet for the legalistic demonstrators. They managed to rally on the place of democracy in Ambohijatovo, in the center of the capital city, on Thursday June 11th, by the beginning of afternoon. The supporters of Marc Ravalomanana gathered as usual on the Magro private ground, in Ankorondrano, before massively parading toward Ambohijatovo. 

Taken by surprise and by lack of immediate order to scatter the crowd, the police forces didn’t react by the beginning of the afternoon to stop the demonstrators from heading toward the place of democracy whose access has been forbidden to them for nearly month. An authorization from a City Council director has been presented indeed by the movement leaders to the security forces.  

The legalistic side speaks of a “strength demonstration “, while the authorities of Transition denounce a destabilization attempt, specifying that the street descent was not foreseen since the authorization had to come from the security services.    

By precaution, the stores of the capital city center have closed for some minutes in order to avoid possible lootings. Before the Magro gathering, a car equipped with loudspeakers furrowed the center of Antananarivo during the morning to sensitize the population but the itinerary of the walk has not been specified. The police forces were about to intercept the vehicle that was adorned with many posters of Marc Ravalomanana but the car successfully sneaked away from capture.   

After violent repressions, more than a month ago, to forbid the legalistic demonstrators the access to the Place of Democracy, the exiled president’s supporters seem to come back in strength on the place which has become somewhat symbolic those days. 

Considering that the government of Transition, put in place after the coup back in mid-March, forbids any political demonstration on the Place of Democracy, except under authorization, it is expected that the putsch’s regime represses the legalistic demonstration if it intends to occupy the place regularly.