Burkina: rallies banned and demonstrators dispersed with tear gas
Burkina Faso: Place de la Nation in Ouagadougou is one of the traditional places for demonstrations like here in October 2014. REUTERS / Joe Penney
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Two demonstrations were planned for this Saturday, January 22, one in support of the military in the fight against terrorism in Burkina and, at the same time, to demand the resignation of President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré and the other demonstration to support the Malian junta targeted by ECOWAS sanctions.
The demonstrators were dispersed unceremoniously with tear gas.
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With our correspondent in Ouagadougou,
Yaya Boudani
In the middle of the day, calm gradually returned to the center of Ouagadougou and a few vehicles were circulating there.
However, businesses remain closed and internal security forces are positioned at several intersections to prevent demonstrators from accessing Place de la Nation and the United Nations roundabout.
At the beginning of the morning, several groups of demonstrators tried to force the security device, following the banning of the two demonstrations, by the town hall of Ouagadougou.
They were dispersed with tear gas.
Protesters set fire to tires in places and threw stones in response.
A private TV journalist was shot in the arm and rushed to hospital for treatment.
In a press release, the town hall of Ouagadougou had warned that access to certain streets in the city center was subject to filtering, in order to prevent demonstrators from regrouping.
However, and by dozens of groups, these demonstrators - on motorcycles, especially - tried to break through this device.
Read also: Burkina Faso: security and the fight against corruption on the menu of President Kaboré's evening speech
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Burkina Faso
Roch Marc Christian Kabore