According to Nestor Goubel, spokesperson for the Luanda provincial command of the National Police, nearly 800 protesters were in the middle of the march when "a group of troublemakers took advantage of the situation and joined the MEA [Angolan Student Movement] group."
Nestor Goubel said the police created a barrier "to prevent them from escalating," emphasizing that members of this group threw stones at the police, uttered obscene language, and engaged in nude scenes.
"They joined the MEA group and began to engage in a series of disturbances," the same source said in a statement to Angolan Public Television, emphasizing that, given the situation, the police prevented the march from continuing.
The spokesperson for the Luanda provincial command of the National Police also emphasized that these people had no connection with the MEA, the organizers of the demonstration, who, aware of "the threat and danger they were facing and the exploitation of this group," ended the protest there.
"They read the manifesto and left. The group stayed there, continued committing acts of vandalism (...), but the police remained calm and tolerant," he reported.
The officer emphasized the "very tolerant" role of the police in the face of provocations, demonstrating, in his opinion, that the police forces are prepared to monitor demonstrations and large events.
"At no point did the police back down, at no point was tear gas fired. The police today demonstrated (...) that they have a lot of experience, a police force that has been accumulating republican experience," he added.
Nestor Goubel reported that nearly 1500 personnel were deployed on the ground, including the Rapid Intervention Police (PIR).
Hundreds of Angolans participated in protests this Saturday against rising tuition fees, fuel prices, taxi services, and the precarious living conditions of families, accusing authorities of insensitivity to the public's outcry and criticizing police obstructions.
Several citizens, including activists, students, guardians, taxi drivers, street vendors, musicians, opposition politicians, and other civil society actors, joined the march organized by the Ministry of Education (MEA).
"Books, wallets, health, and education" were the chants chanted by protesters throughout the march, which departed at 1 pm local time from Largo do Mercado de São Paulo and headed for the Ministry of Finance in downtown Luanda. Due to police barriers, protesters were unable to reach their final destination.
