Antananarivo - Police used teargas to disperse a crowd of about 1 000 anti-government protesters in Madagascar's capital on Wednesday, arresting seven of the demonstrators.
“Five of them put up barracades in the middle of the street. Two others were caught hitting a journalist they thought was an intelligence officer,” said Antananarivo police chief Richard Ravalomanana after the protest.
The demonstrators had gathered in front of the headquarters of the transition senate building to voice their discontent at the current regime.
Police broke up the crowds using teargas, but another protest is planned for Thursday.
“Those people who are boasting about being in power must go, nobody elected them,” said Albert Zafy, former Malagasy president and head of one of the opposition movements.
Madagascar was plunged into an economic and political crisis in March 2009 when former president Marc Ravalomanana stood down and was replaced by opposition leader Andry Rajoelina. - Sapa-AFP