Day of Rage Poster
One of the detained student protest leaders
The UNEM union of Mauritanian university students took it upon themselves to stage a “Day of Rage” (or Anger, Wrath, etc, as you prefer) on this first anniversary of the massive protest that took place in Nouakchott in 2011. The day began with a mass walk-out of students starting at 10am, when they gathered in the quad of the law school, chanting against the militarization of the university.
Police surrounded the campus, showering students with volleys of percussion and tear gas grenades and then stormed the area, arresting three student leaders and forcing the protesters out. As the protest left the campus, there were several clashes between students and police near the headquarters of the Ministry of Justice, at the Ministry of Education and at the Regional Security HQ. A taxi driver outside the Ministry of Justice was seriously injured after a direct hit from a gas grenade which struck him after shattering the side window of his vehicle. He was transferred to hospital unconscious and bleeding profusely.Among several reports of police brutality, injuries and arrests, was news of two students from the faculty of arts being taken by police to an unknown destination. They are still unaccounted for.
Student Union Joint Protest 24 April 2012
There was also a joint protestyesterday by several student bodies against the politicisation of university life and union actions, with a general appeal to keep politics out of student protests.
Related articles
- Mauritania’s Feb25 Movement 1st Anniversary (lissnup.wordpress.com)
- Mauritania ISERI Student’s “Day of Rage” in Pictures (lissnup.wordpress.com)
- 5 Apr 2012 Mauritania Police Attack Protesters (lissnup.wordpress.com)
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