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Thousands of protesters in opposition to the nation's leader were accompanied on the roads of the capital on the afternoon of Saturday by military personnel from an elite army division, who earlier in the day declared they would not shoot at demonstrators.

Marching With Heavy Vehicles

Protesters walked together with soldiers from the Capsat unit, who operated armored vehicles, some displaying Madagascar flags, from their headquarters in Soanierana in the southern part of Antananarivo.

Speaking to the Masses

A Capsat leader, Lylison René de Rolland, then addressed the enthusiastic gathering in front of the city hall in 13 May Square, which protesters had previously been blocked from accessing. Capsat military personnel brought the current head of state, Andry Rajoelina, to power in a coup in 2009.

Raising Pressure on the President

The troops' involvement increased tension on Rajoelina, who protesters have been demanding step aside. The student-led demonstrations erupted on 25 September, originally over water and electricity cuts. However, they quickly broadened into appeals for a comprehensive reform of the government system, with the youth demonstrators not appeased by Rajoelina firing his administration last week.

Security Forces Measures

That morning, police fired disorientation devices and riot control agents to try to disperse the activists. The freshly assigned minister of the armed forces also urged soldiers to "stay composed", at a media briefing on Saturday.

"We appeal to our colleagues who are against us to prioritise discussion," military minister Deramasinjaka Manantsoa Rakotoarivelo said. "Madagascar's armed forces is still a mediator and constitutes the country's last line of defence."

Military Resistance

However, a Capsat commander supported by a sizable contingent of military personnel appealed to other military units to "reject directives to attack your friends", in a footage that was posted on social media before they exited their headquarters.

"We must combine efforts, troops, paramilitary and law enforcement, and refuse to be paid to fire upon our friends, our brothers and our sisters," he declared, also appealing to troops at the airfield to "stop all planes from leaving".

"Close the entrances and wait for our instructions," he stated. "Disregard orders from your officers. Point your arms at those who order you to attack your comrades-in-arms, because they will not support our families if we are killed."

Leader's Silence

Nothing has been shared on the president's social media accounts since the evening of Friday, when he was seen discussing with the directors of 10 of the country's colleges to address bettering the student experience.

Demonstrator Worries

An protester who joined the Saturday rallies said she was apprehensive about the role of Capsat, due to their role in the 2009 seizure of power that propelled Rajoelina to leadership. She also denounced government officials who made short addresses to the crowds in front of the municipal building as "self-serving individuals".

"This is the reason I'm not feeling joyful at all, because all of those individuals circling this 'development' are all risky," stated the activist, who declined to give her name for concern for her safety.

Gen Z Viewpoint

A representative of the youth movement, a decentralized collective of students that has helped to coordinate the demonstrations, also voiced concerns about what would occur subsequently. "We are delighted, but significant events are unfolding [and] we don't want another corrupted person to take the power here, so we will take all measures to have the opportunity to elect who to place in power," he stated.