Trail of destruction on central streets in Maputo after hours of clashes on Monday

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Trail of destruction on central streets in Maputo after hours of clashes on Monday

3:01 CAT | 22 Oct 2024

FILE - Helicopter hovering above the city of Maputo on Monday, October 21, 2024. [File photo: DW]

A trail of destruction was left on several of Maputo’s central streets by the beginning of yesterday evening after hours of clashes between protesters and police. Tear gas was used and shots were fired in the air in various parts of the capital.

After nightfall, bonfires and burning tires were still visible on the streets where clashes had occurred, with protesters throwing stones and other objects and police charging.

The entire central stretch of Joaquim Chissano Avenue was covered in stones, especially centred around the place where the double murder of two supporters of Venâncio Mondlane took place on Friday, including his lawyer, Elvino Dias, and where the presidential candidate had called for a demonstration, in the end prevented by a strong police presence.

Advertising material, burned tires, sticks and garbage containers strewn across the streets could be seen in the same area and surrounding neighbourhoods, along with dozens of police vehicles, including armoured Rapid Intervention Unit (UIR) vehicles.

However, despite the presence of several dozen heavily armed officers from various forces on the most critical streets, no further shots were fired.

In the Xiquelene area, next to Praça dos Combatentes, another point in the city marked by heavy clashes throughout the day, a large contingent of police could be seen, including armoured vehicles from the Rapid Intervention Unit, with one of the roads closed to traffic marked by burnt tires.

However, here too there had been no police intervention for a few hours. Vendors who do business on the street were seen putting their stalls back up and trying to sell their day’s stock.

Several people were injured in the clashes, including those hit by tear gas fired by the police, including at least three journalists. Maputo Central Hospital called a press conference to assess the situation at 9:00 a.m. on Tuesday.

The clashes between the police and the protesters began at around 7:30 a.m., with the police dispersing groups that had begun to gather to take part in supposedly peaceful marches.

Mondlane accused the police of firing “real bullets” at protesters during the marches and said that Mozambicans had come together to “save the country”.

The presidential candidate called for the marches on Saturday in condemnation of the murder of Elvino Dias, his lawyer, and Paulo Guambe, the leader of the Optimistic People for the Development of Mozambique (Podemos) party, which supports him.

Mondlane described the Mozambican police leaders as true terrorists, and promised to continue the protests in three more phases until the results of the elections are announced by the Constitutional Council.

The police response to the demonstrations was condemned by the international community, with calls for restraint on both sides coming from Portugal, the European Union and the African Union.

Source: Lusa