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Algeria protests: Police use water cannon to disperse demonstrators | Algeria protests: Police use water cannon to disperse demonstrators |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Algerian police used water cannon on Tuesday to disperse crowds demonstrating against the appointment of a new interim president. | Algerian police used water cannon on Tuesday to disperse crowds demonstrating against the appointment of a new interim president. |
Abdelkader Bensalah, the speaker of parliament's upper house, succeeds long-term President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who resigned last week. | Abdelkader Bensalah, the speaker of parliament's upper house, succeeds long-term President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who resigned last week. |
Peaceful demonstrations have been taking place for weeks, but many protesters want more radical change. | Peaceful demonstrations have been taking place for weeks, but many protesters want more radical change. |
Mr Bensalah has pledged to organise free elections within 90 days. | |
"We - citizens, the political class and state institutions - must work to ensure the conditions, all conditions, are right for a transparent and regular presidential poll," he said during a televised address on Tuesday. | "We - citizens, the political class and state institutions - must work to ensure the conditions, all conditions, are right for a transparent and regular presidential poll," he said during a televised address on Tuesday. |
As soon as the appointment of Mr Bensalah was announced, protesters took to the streets of the capital, Algiers, demanding "Bensalah go". | As soon as the appointment of Mr Bensalah was announced, protesters took to the streets of the capital, Algiers, demanding "Bensalah go". |
The 77-year-old is seen as being very close to the ailing former president, who had been in power for 20 years. | The 77-year-old is seen as being very close to the ailing former president, who had been in power for 20 years. |
From the start of the protests in February, the demonstrators have not just been focusing on Mr Bouteflika, Algeria analyst James McDougall told the BBC. | From the start of the protests in February, the demonstrators have not just been focusing on Mr Bouteflika, Algeria analyst James McDougall told the BBC. |
Placards and online posts have been demanding an end to the "system", or "Le Pouvoir", meaning that all those around the former president should also go. | Placards and online posts have been demanding an end to the "system", or "Le Pouvoir", meaning that all those around the former president should also go. |
Mr Bouteflika was accused of being used as a front for a group of businessmen, politicians and military officials, who are said to really run the country. | Mr Bouteflika was accused of being used as a front for a group of businessmen, politicians and military officials, who are said to really run the country. |
The protests have been peaceful and the security forces have not used heavy-handed tactics to break them up. | The protests have been peaceful and the security forces have not used heavy-handed tactics to break them up. |
One protestor, speaking to the BBC's Orla Guerin at a demonstration, said people believed greater change would come. | One protestor, speaking to the BBC's Orla Guerin at a demonstration, said people believed greater change would come. |
"It's going to be complicated, it's going to take some time," one woman said. "It's going to take probably a long time but it's going to happen sooner or later - we believe in this." | "It's going to be complicated, it's going to take some time," one woman said. "It's going to take probably a long time but it's going to happen sooner or later - we believe in this." |