Clashes between police and residents of huts wound 95 in Algiers

A total of 42 policemen and 53 people were injured Wednesday in a clash between the police and protesters following the destruction of about 40 huts in Algiers.

• Residents in the area of Climat de France in Oued Koreiche municipality blocked the way to bulldozers at 4 a.m. They used stones and empty bottles against policemen who used rubber bullets and arrested 10 people.
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• Witnesses say a 17-year-old boy lost his eye due to a bullet and a car was burnt. Others were wounded and asphyxiated by tear gas. That fuelled anger among residents.
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• Authorities cut electricity and gas in the area and shops were closed. Protesters blocked all the ways leading to the housing compound.
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• Tens of police cars surrounded the area and policemen stood up on buildings terrace. The judicial police were present and a national security helicopter was flying.
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• Mayor of Oued Koreiche said he executed a decision issued from the administrative arrondissement and “I do not have any other thing to add.”
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• On the other hand, residents say the mayor authorised them “verbally” to build the huts, two months ago. They had to live in huts because of housing crisis.
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• Protesters accuse officials of wrongdoings in houses distribution process and they complain of their small share of the distributed houses.
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• They say they are not “against the State” but against “injustice.” Some of them dug a rift to prevent the police and bulldozers from crossing the street to destroy huts.