Overview

• Security forces used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse crowds that gathered despite a prefectural ban, with masked GSIS gendarmerie units deployed in the city center.
• Homes of three pro-government lawmakers, including Senator Lalatiana Rakontondrazafy, were set ablaze or sacked, and firefighters were pelted with stones while trying to douse flames.
• Looting and arson hit banks, shops and a cable-car station, a night curfew was enforced, schools were ordered closed on Friday and an Air France flight was diverted.
• An AFP correspondent witnessed several arrests, a video showed influencer Mickael Fitiavana being detained and local reporting circulated footage of police firing on protesters.
• The protest wave, organized on social media and adopting the 'One Piece' pirate flag, channeled anger over chronic outages that residents say stretch to roughly 12 hours a day and unfolded as President Andry Rajoelina remained abroad without public comment.