More than 50 activists gathered on Saturday morning at the São Paulo Market square in Luanda, where the protest march against the high cost of living in the country was due to start, but it was “stopped” by police officers before it even began.
According to activist Pascoal Figueira, four national police patrols were already lined up at the scene, which he said initially threatened the protesters, attacked some and then arrested around ten activists at the scene.
“While they were arresting some activists, “General Nila”, leader of the so-called National Unity for Total Revolution in Angola (UNTRA), promoter of the demonstration, tried to persuade the police officers, but was also arrested,” he told Lusa.
The activist, who regretted the police's stance, said that they also dispersed the population by throwing tear gas bombs and firing some shots at the scene.
Alerting authorities to the reduction of the basic food basket and improving citizens' living conditions were also one of the purposes of the demonstration.
Figueira recalled that the demonstration against the high cost of living, hunger, poverty, unemployment and demanding the construction of public baths in the capital, which was headed to Largo da Maianga, was previously communicated to the authorities, criticizing the “muscular” posture of the police.
Manuel Cole, who said he escaped police aggression at the scene, said that the activists arrested before noon remain “in an uncertain location”, recalling that he had to take refuge inside the Sambizanga neighborhood after the shots and the launching of tear gas.
UNTRA leader, activist Serrote José de Oliveira “General Nila” is part of the group of protesters detained by the police.
Lusa found at the scene, shortly after 12 pm, a strong police presence that filled the entire length of that square, belonging to the São Paulo Market, in the municipality of Sambizanga. The agency tried to hear from the spokesperson for the Luanda Provincial Command of the National Police, but without success.
