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Thousands of activists against the nation's head of state were accompanied on the roads of the capital on Saturday afternoon by military personnel from an premier army unit, who previously that day declared they would not open fire on demonstrators.

Marching Alongside Heavy Vehicles

Demonstrators proceeded together with military personnel from the Capsat unit, who piloted armored cars, some displaying national flags, from their barracks in Soanierana in the southern district of Antananarivo.

Addressing the Masses

A Capsat commander, Lylison René de Rolland, then addressed the supportive masses in front of the city hall in 13 May Square, which activists had before been prevented from reaching. Capsat military personnel installed the present president, Andry Rajoelina, to power in a seizure of power in 2009.

Raising Tension on the Leader

The soldiers' intervention increased pressure on Rajoelina, who demonstrators have been calling for resign. The young people-led protests erupted on 25 September, initially over water and electricity cuts. However, they quickly expanded into calls for a complete overhaul of the governance structure, with the younger generation demonstrators not appeased by Rajoelina dismissing his administration last week.

Police Measures

Previously that day, security forces used disorientation devices and teargas to try to scatter the demonstrators. The newly named defense minister also appealed to troops to "keep peaceful", at a news conference on Saturday.

"We urge our comrades who oppose us to prioritise communication," military minister Deramasinjaka Manantsoa Rakotoarivelo said. "Madagascar's armed forces continues to be a peacemaker and forms the country's last line of defence."

Army Resistance

However, a Capsat officer accompanied by a significant number of troops appealed to other troop formations to "reject directives to attack your friends", in a video that was shared on social media before they departed from their barracks.

"We must combine efforts, troops, paramilitary and officers, and refuse to be paid to fire upon our allies, our colleagues and our fellow citizens," he declared, also urging military personnel at the aviation hub to "block all planes from taking off".

"Secure the access points and expect our orders," he stated. "Disregard commands from your officers. Aim your arms at those who command you to fire on your fellow soldiers, because they will not support our loved ones if we perish."

Leader's Inactivity

Nothing has been posted on the leader's digital platforms since the evening of Friday, when he was photographed conferring with the leaders of 10 of the state's higher education institutions to talk about bettering students' lives.

Demonstrator Concerns

An protester who joined the Saturday protests said she was concerned about the participation of Capsat, due to their part in the 2009 coup that brought Rajoelina to leadership. She also criticised politicians who made short speeches to the gathering in front of the town hall as "self-serving individuals".

"For this purpose I'm not feeling joyful at all, because all of those figures gravitating around this 'situation' are all dangerous," said the activist, who didn't want to be named for apprehension for her safety.

Gen Z Perspective

A representative of Gen Z Madagascar, a non-hierarchical group of youth that has supported the arrangement of the demonstrations, also raised questions about what would occur subsequently. "We are very happy, but a lot is happening [and] we wish to avoid another dishonest figure to assume control here, so we will take all measures to have the privilege to choose who to install in leadership," he commented.