For the second consecutive week, young protesters accompanied by lecturers and other supporters poured through central Algiers, shouting slogans demanding “a free and democratic Algeria” and an end to the military’s domination of the North African country.
They marched through the narrow streets of the Casbah in order to evade police cordons set up along the normal route of the once-regular student-led marches.
Witnesses says police had tried to block some protesters, sparking brief clashes.
Security forces also prevented demonstrators from reaching the iconic main post office, which had seen vast gatherings during pre-Covid demonstrations.
The Hirak protest movement broke out in February 2019 in outrage at then-president Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s bid for a fifth term in office.
The ageing strongman was forced to step down weeks later, but the movement continued with twice-weekly demonstrations, demanding sweeping reforms to Algeria’s sclerotic institutions.
