Madagascar's Gen Z protesters clash with police as they call for president to step down

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ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar (AP) — About 1,000 protesters marched in Madagascar's capital on Thursday, clashing with police who used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse them in the third week of what has been the most significant unrest in years in the Indian Ocean island nation.

Police could be seen patrolling the streets of Antananarivo in armored cars and charging at protesters, most of them wearing masks. It wasn’t immediately clear if there were any injuries.

The protests, led by a group calling itself “Gen Z Madagascar,” are the latest in a series of demonstrations that the United Nations says have left 22 people dead and dozens injured. The government has disputed this number.

The protests were first sparked by water and power cuts but soon expanded to include frustrations over allegations of corruption and nepotism.

The protests led Madagascar's President Andry Rajoelina to fire his entire Cabinet, but this has failed to appease the young people, who are now calling on him to step down. They also rejected an invitation to have talks with Rajoelina on Wednesday.

During the clashes in the Anosy and Mahamasina districts near the Mahamasina Municipal Stadium, protesters barricaded some of the streets with rocks and burning tires.

Authorities banned cars from driving at Democracy Square in Ambohijatovo district and the surrounding area as police kept watch.

Madagascar, a large island of around 31 million people off the east coast of Africa with a history of political crises, has seen several leaders forced out in uprisings since it gained independence from France in 1960.

It struggles with severe poverty, which affects around 80% of the population, according to the World Bank.

Rajoelina, 51, was elected president in 2018 and reelected in 2023, a vote boycotted by opposition parties.

The latest protests have used as their most prominent symbol an image of a pirate skull and crossbones that was seen in the youth-led uprising in Nepal last month and other protests across the world. There have also been lootings during the demonstrations, authorities say.

The protest movement has mobilized over the internet and the protesters say they were inspired by the demonstrations that toppled governments in Nepal and Sri Lanka.