By 8:30 am a strong police cordon filled the main access routes to the National Assembly and adjacent areas, with searches being carried out on the people who circulated there.
The so-called “Jovens Pelas Autarquias”, duly identified by the black shirts they wore were also detained by the Angolan police, unable to concentrate and walk to the south gate of the parliament.
More than ten young people were pushed into a police vehicle and transported to the second police station, in Bairro Operário, where two journalists from Lusa were also subsequently sent on the pretext that they “could not report the act”.
Among the more than 10 young detainees are the coordinator of the Agir Project, a civil society organization, Fernando Gomes, and the coordinator of the Cazenga in Action Platform (PLACA), Scoth Kambolo, who on arrival at the police station said: “One day we will win”.
Also the Portuguese-Angolan activist Luaty Beirão, through Twitter, said that he was participating in the demonstration and was taken by the police, not knowing if he is being held.
Laulenu (Moxico), Agir Project (Cacuaco), PLACA (Cazenga), Mizangala Yenu (Bengo), Okilunga (Huíla) and the Luanda Good Actions Center are the civic organizations promoting the demonstration that was scheduled for this Thursday ahead to parliament, where the first plenary meeting of 2020 will take place.
“Jovens por Pelas Autarquias” intended to protest “against the vices that affect the municipal legislative package”, demanding their approval in the first quarter of 2020 so that they take place “simultaneously” in all municipalities.
At the launch of the demonstration, on 14 June, Scoth Cambolo said that civic organizations have already produced several suggestions and proposals on the "various inconsistencies" that are part of the municipal package and "had no support from the authorities".
