Algeria clashes as police break up banned demo

RNW, 22 January 2011

Police broke up a banned pro-democracy demonstration in the Algerian capital on Saturday leaving several people injured, the leader of an opposition party that organised the rally told AFP.

Algeria clashes as police break up banned demo

"There are several injured... and numerous arrests," Said Sadi, the head of the Rally for Culture and Democracy (RCD), said.

Among those arrested was the head of the party's parliamentary group, Othmane Amazouz, he said.

The government had warned people not to show support for the demonstration in a statement issued on the eve of the march, amid fears of popular unrest spreading from neighbouring Tunisia.

"Citizens are asked to show wisdom and vigilance and not respond to possible provocation aimed at disturbing their tranquillity, peace of mind and serenity," said the statement, carried by the official news agency APS.

About 300 people had defied a ban to attempt to hold the demonstration but were confronted by dozens of police armed with batons, tear gas and plexiglas shields.

The RCD said it would defy the official ban after authorities prevented it from holding an initial protest last Tuesday.

"Marches are not allowed in Algiers" the statement warned, adding that "all assemblies on public roads are considered a breach of public order".

The march was planned "without authorisation", it said. Demonstrations are banned in Algeria because of a state of emergency in place since 1992.

Mounting public grievances over unemployment and rising costs sparked protests in Algeria earlier this month which left five people dead and more than 800 injured.

The government responded swiftly by reducing the prices of oil, sugar and other basic necessities which had risen sharply, while buying up a million tonnes of wheat amid assurances that subsidies on essential goods like flour would continue.

Unrest still simmers, however, and within the past two weeks eight people set themselves on fire in Algeria, although some cases were deemed to be linked to mental health issues.

Students at the Mouloud-Mammeri University at Tizi-Ouzou had said that they would back the protest.

In a statement the student leadership praised the Tunisian uprising and said it "inspired and motivated all the patriots of North Africa."

Algerian commentators have said that more Tunisia-style protests could break out in Algeria, a country with similar social problems.

Unemployment, specifically of the young, is a key issue in Algeria, a country where according to the authorities 15 million of the 36 million population is under the age of 30.

In Tunisia, similar unrest sparked the overthrow of the government of Zine El Abidine Ben Ali, whose 23 years in power ended with his flight to Saudi Arabia.

Algerians face riot police Saturday outside the opposition Rally
for Culture and Democracy party's offices in Algiers (CNN)

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