Madagascar police fired tear gas and rubber bullets Thursday to break up hundreds of protesters in the capital Antananarivo who were demonstrating against repeated water and electricity outages. The Indian Ocean island is one of the poorest countries on the globe despite vast natural resources. A heavy police presence patrolled the capital from early morning after authorities banned the demonstration the day before, citing the risk of public disorder. But the protesters defied the order and tried to break through a police barricade to reach their planned meeting point in the Ambohijatovo district in central Antananarivo. They waved banners reading “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”. Protesters also waved the viral pirate flag — a straw-hatted skull and crossbones from the Japanese anime series “One Piece” — which has become a symbol adopted by anti-establishment youth movements in countries like Indonesia and Nepal. Shortly before 11:00 am (0800 GMT), hooded anti-riot police in white 4x4s sped through the streets and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd, an AFP journalist at the scene saw. At least three demonstrators were arrested. By midday, protesters set fire to the home of a senator appointed earlier this year by President Andry Rajoelina. Firefighters brought the blaze under control while coming under a barrage of stones from angry demonstrators.
