Thousands of protesters stormed Burkina Faso’s parliament building on Thursday, witnesses said, ahead of a controversial government vote on revising the constitution to allow the country’s president to stand for re-election.
The protesters had managed to get inside the building in the capital Ouagadougou while police had fled, a witness told Reuters.
Protesters also stormed and ransacked the building of the country’s state television network, which went off air shortly afterwards, Reuters reported.
A handful of soldiers who were guarding the building shot in the air to try to disperse the crowds, but they continued advancing and the soldiers fled, a witness said.
Earlier, police had fired teargas and beat and arrested protesters as they tried to reach parliament, a Reuters photographer said. Hundreds of protesters burned tyres and set up makeshift barricades in response.
Officers in pick-ups pursued opposition supporters and cordoned off the area around the building. It was not immediately clear how protesters had managed to breach the cordon.
The protesters had managed to get inside the building in the capital Ouagadougou while police had fled, a witness told Reuters.
Protesters also stormed and ransacked the building of the country’s state television network, which went off air shortly afterwards, Reuters reported.
A handful of soldiers who were guarding the building shot in the air to try to disperse the crowds, but they continued advancing and the soldiers fled, a witness said.
Earlier, police had fired teargas and beat and arrested protesters as they tried to reach parliament, a Reuters photographer said. Hundreds of protesters burned tyres and set up makeshift barricades in response.
Officers in pick-ups pursued opposition supporters and cordoned off the area around the building. It was not immediately clear how protesters had managed to breach the cordon.
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