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Thousands of activists in opposition to the nation's president were joined on the avenues of the capital on Saturday by soldiers from an elite army squadron, who earlier in the day declared they would not open fire on activists.

Advancing With Heavy Cars

Activists marched alongside troops from the Capsat squadron, who drove armored transports, some waving Madagascar flags, from their base in Soanierana in the south of Antananarivo.

Speaking to the Crowds

A Capsat officer, Lylison René de Rolland, then addressed the cheering gathering in front of the municipal building in 13 May Square, which activists had earlier been denied entry to. Capsat military personnel brought the present leader, Andry Rajoelina, to authority in a seizure of power in 2009.

Escalating Pressure on the Head of State

The troops' involvement ratcheted up pressure on Rajoelina, who activists have been demanding resign. The young people-led rallies broke out on 25 September, at first over service disruptions. However, they rapidly expanded into calls for a complete overhaul of the governance structure, with the gen Z demonstrators not satisfied by Rajoelina removing his administration last week.

Security Forces Response

Earlier in the day, security forces fired disorientation devices and riot control agents to try to scatter the activists. The recently appointed defense minister also appealed to troops to "stay composed", at a press conference on Saturday.

"We appeal to our comrades who disagree with us to emphasize discussion," general minister Deramasinjaka Manantsoa Rakotoarivelo declared. "Madagascar's armed forces is still a mediator and constitutes the state's last line of defence."

Army Opposition

However, a Capsat officer joined by a large group of soldiers appealed to other troop formations to "refuse orders to shoot your friends", in a footage that was posted on social media before they left their barracks.

"Let us join forces, military, gendarmes and law enforcement, and decline compensation to attack our friends, our comrades and our compatriots," he declared, also appealing to military personnel at the airport to "block all planes from departing".

"Close the gates and await our orders," he stated. "Do not obey orders from your superiors. Aim your weapons at those who order you to fire on your military brothers, because they will not support our families if we are killed."

President's Silence

No information has been published on the president's online profiles since Friday night, when he was seen conferring with the heads of 10 of the nation's colleges to talk about bettering the student experience.

Demonstrator Concerns

An protester who attended Saturday's protests expressed she was apprehensive about the role of Capsat, due to their role in the 2009 coup that brought Rajoelina to leadership. She also condemned political figures who made brief addresses to the crowds in front of the municipal building as "opportunists".

"This is the reason I'm not celebrating at all, because all of those individuals involved in this 'development' are all risky," commented the protester, who requested anonymity for apprehension for her safety.

Youth Perspective

A representative of Gen Z Madagascar, a decentralized collective of youth that has supported the arrangement of the demonstrations, also expressed doubts about what would transpire in the future. "We are delighted, but many developments are occurring [and] we wish to avoid another corrupted person to gain authority here, so we will take all measures to have the privilege to select who to put up there," he said.