Hundreds of demonstrators gathered yesterday in central Algeria, calling for the departure of the chief of staff of the Algerian army, Ahmed Kayed Saleh, despite the heavy security deployment in the streets of the capital and its entrances.
As of 1 pm yesterday, the center of the capital was empty of dozens of demonstrators, but the number swelled, hundreds gathered near the central post square, and began chanting "The people want to overthrow a good leader." It stops. ”
The protesters continued to criticize the army chief of staff for what they considered "imposing a plan and addressing the people of the barracks every week," demanding that the military does not interfere in politics.
Before the demonstration began, security forces arrested citizens near the square, according to photojournalists.
It is the 31st consecutive Friday of protesters demanding the departure of all elements of the ruling regime, which they consider a remnant of the era of Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
But it was clear that the number of participants this week was lower than usual, as a result of barriers and police actions.
Ahmed Kayed announced on Wednesday that he ordered the prevention of buses and vehicles carrying demonstrators from outside the capital from entering, and «arrest» and «seizure and impose fines on the owners». The police deployed heavily in the center of the Algerian capital, and on the axes leading to them yesterday, in far greater numbers than the presence that was usually done on Fridays. Police stopped their vehicles on all the main streets of the capital, including Didouche Mourad Street, leading to the Maurice Odan and Central Post squares, the two main protest rally points.
A journalist saw plainclothes police scrutinize the identity documents of many bystanders near the central post, and some were stopped and taken in trucks to an unknown destination.
At the south-western entrance to the capital, police could see cars parked for arrivals to the capital, while about 10 trucks of riot police from the National Gendarmerie stopped.
Activists on social media carried testimonies of traffic jams "stretching several kilometers" at the entrances to the capital.
A police helicopter was seen flying over the capital.
"This is truly shocking," said Algerian Vice President of the Algerian League for Human Rights Said Salehi. "This is truly shocking," he said, adding that "the constitution guarantees Algerian citizens equality among themselves." And freedom of movement. ”
Algerian protesters refuse to hold elections, under interim President Abdelkader Bensalah and any symbols of the regime of outgoing President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.