Luanda - The National Police (PN) denied last Wednesday night the occurrence of a death in the demonstration held by civil society activists, which was quashed by the authorities.
During the attempted demonstration, which was not authorized by the Government of Luanda, social media reported the death of a citizen, allegedly by gunshot.
A video showing a demonstrator wounded and sprawled on the ground was shared on different social networks, to support the rumour of the alleged death of a citizen.
Speaking to the press, regarding the protests, the provincial commander of the National Police in Luanda, Eduardo Serqueira, denied the allegations.
According to the official, the citizen who was said to have died is alive and undergoing medical care, in Américo Boavida hospital, in Luanda.
He informed, on the other hand, that the corporation did not use any lethal means to contain the demonstrators, the action was carried out with water jets, tear gas and bombs of moral effect.
The provincial commander of the National Police stated that in sequence of the police action, at least three citizens were detained, including a fugitive from justice who had an arrest warrant.
Two others were arrested for attempted arson at two fuel stations, in the Benfica and Pedro de Castro Van-Dunem Loy Avenue, whose actions were contained.
According to the official, other citizens were taken to areas far from the places of confrontation between the police and the demonstrators, to facilitate dispersion, but were released afterwards.
Likewise, he confirmed the temporary detention of two journalists, released after due act of identification in a police station, with the authorities promising to return the personal documentation of the said media professionals.
He deplored the fact that the demonstrators tried to force a protest even after the ban by the Government of Luanda, underlining that the security forces will continue to work to maintain public order.
The demonstration was marked by a confrontation between the police and the protesters who set fire on tyres and used containers to block some roads.
The recent Decree on Public Calamity prohibits gatherings on public roads of more than five people, this being one of the grounds used by the authorities to quell the demonstration.
In addition to this reason, according to the Government of Luanda, some legal requirements on the part of the organisers were not observed.
In essence, the protesters tried to demonstrate against the rising cost of living and unemployment in Angola, as well as to require the government to indicate a precise date for the country's first municipal elections.
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