Party leader Said Saadi acknowledges his failure to stage a march in Algiers
The leader of the Rally for Culture and Democracy ( RCD) , Said Saadi has acknowledged the failure of the march that he called for yesterday in Algiers arguing that the security forces have cordoned off all the area surrounding the capital city in a move to stop his sympathizers from joining the rally, denying the existence of any correlation between the events in Tunisia and his movement of protest.
- “Breaking the security siege required the use of wings from the protesters to leave the party’s headquarters by air”, Said Saadin has indicated.
- In a declaration to the media at the party’s premises, Said Saadi had noted that it was impossible to stage a march “devoid” of its militants who couldn’t move to Algiers on account of the impressive security plan deployed around the capital city, calling on this occasion for the lifting up of the emergency status and allow the political parties as well as the other associations to stage rallies because it’s a constitutional right.
- The party leader has seized the opportunity of the presence of the media to staunchly criticize the regime “Algeria has moved from a state of emergency to a siege, calling for its lifting”.
- “ We have the right to live in dignity and democracy and we are against violence”, vowing to stage other rallies in coordination with other associations.
- The party leader announced several arrests among the militants who were transferred to the police offices, noting that the chairman of the parliamentary group Athmane Maazouz was injured at the face.
- Some 300 protesters rallied yesterday at the party’s headquarters downtown Algiers but the security forces have cordoned off the main issues and barred the militants from leaving the building to avoid troubles.
- Clashes between the security forces and the leader’s sympathizers have caused 10 injuries among the police forces and 9 among the protesters, who were immediately transferred to the nearest hospital to receive treatment.
- The party leader Said Saadi has left his party’s offices at around 1 pm to take part to “ other meetings” amid tightened security measures.