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Thousands of protesters in opposition to the nation's head of state were joined on the roads of the capital on the afternoon of Saturday by troops from an specialized army squadron, who previously that day declared they would not shoot at activists.

Proceeding Together with Heavy Cars

Activists marched alongside troops from the Capsat squadron, who piloted armored transports, some displaying national flags, from their headquarters in Soanierana in the southern district of Antananarivo.

Addressing the Gathering

A Capsat commander, Lylison René de Rolland, then appealed to the supportive masses in front of the town hall in 13 May Square, which demonstrators had earlier been denied entry to. Capsat troops propelled the current leader, Andry Rajoelina, to power in a takeover in 2009.

Escalating Tension on the Leader

The troops' participation increased tension on Rajoelina, who protesters have been insisting on stand down. The student-led demonstrations commenced on 25 September, originally over service disruptions. However, they rapidly expanded into demands for a comprehensive restructuring of the governance structure, with the gen Z activists not placated by Rajoelina firing his administration last week.

Security Forces Actions

Earlier in the day, law enforcement used flashbangs and teargas to try to disperse the protesters. The recently appointed minister of the armed forces also called on troops to "remain calm", at a news conference on Saturday.

"We call on our brothers who disagree with us to focus on dialogue," minister general Deramasinjaka Manantsoa Rakotoarivelo stated. "Madagascar's armed forces is still a intermediary and constitutes the nation's last line of defence."

Troop Opposition

However, a Capsat commander joined by a large group of troops urged other army divisions to "reject directives to attack your comrades", in a footage that was published on social media before they exited their barracks.

"We must combine efforts, army, security forces and law enforcement, and decline compensation to attack our allies, our colleagues and our sisters," he stated, also calling on troops at the airfield to "prevent all aircraft from leaving".

"Close the gates and await our instructions," he stated. "Ignore directives from your superiors. Aim your arms at those who instruct you to shoot at your fellow soldiers, because they will not support our families if we die."

Leader's Silence

Nothing has been published on the head of state's digital platforms since the evening of Friday, when he was seen conferring with the heads of 10 of the nation's universities to talk about bettering students' lives.

Protester Concerns

An activist who joined Saturday's rallies said she was apprehensive about the participation of Capsat, due to their involvement in the 2009 seizure of power that propelled Rajoelina to power. She also denounced government officials who made short speeches to the masses in front of the municipal building as "opportunists".

"This is the reason I'm not feeling joyful at all, because all of those figures circling this 'situation' are all dangerous," commented the demonstrator, who didn't want to be named for concern for her safety.

Young Generation Viewpoint

A representative of the youth movement, a non-hierarchical collective of young people that has assisted in organizing the protests, also expressed doubts about what would transpire in the future. "We are delighted, but a lot is happening [and] we don't want another corrupted figure to take the power here, so we will do everything to have the right to choose who to install in leadership," he said.