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Thousands of activists in opposition to Madagascar's leader were accompanied on the streets of the capital city on the afternoon of Saturday by military personnel from an specialized army squadron, who previously that day said they would not shoot at activists.

Marching Together with Military Transports

Protesters marched alongside troops from the Capsat unit, who piloted military cars, some waving the country's banners, from their headquarters in Soanierana in the southern part of Antananarivo.

Appealing to the Masses

A Capsat officer, Lylison René de Rolland, then appealed to the enthusiastic gathering in front of the city hall in 13 May Square, which demonstrators had before been blocked from accessing. Capsat military personnel propelled the current head of state, Andry Rajoelina, to power in a takeover in 2009.

Raising Tension on the President

The troops' intervention ratcheted up tension on Rajoelina, who activists have been demanding step aside. The young people-led rallies broke out on 25 September, originally over utility shortages. However, they swiftly widened into calls for a comprehensive reform of the political system, with the gen Z activists not appeased by Rajoelina removing his government last week.

Law Enforcement Actions

Previously that day, security forces fired flashbangs and chemical irritants to try to scatter the protesters. The freshly assigned military affairs minister also urged military personnel to "keep peaceful", at a news conference on Saturday.

"We call on our brothers who are against us to emphasize communication," general minister Deramasinjaka Manantsoa Rakotoarivelo said. "The Malagasy army is still a peacemaker and constitutes the nation's final safeguard."

Troop Defiance

However, a Capsat leader supported by a significant number of military personnel appealed to other troop formations to "reject directives to attack your comrades", in a recording that was posted on digital networks before they left their barracks.

"We should unite, military, gendarmes and officers, and refuse to be paid to attack our allies, our brothers and our sisters," he stated, also appealing to soldiers at the airfield to "prevent all planes from taking off".

"Shut the gates and wait for our orders," he said. "Ignore orders from your superiors. Aim your weapons at those who instruct you to shoot at your comrades-in-arms, because they will not support our relatives if we perish."

President's Inactivity

Nothing has been shared on the president's social media accounts since the evening of Friday, when he was seen conferring with the directors of 10 of the nation's colleges to address bettering the student experience.

Protester Worries

An demonstrator who attended the Saturday rallies expressed she was concerned about the role of Capsat, due to their part in the 2009 coup that brought Rajoelina to leadership. She also denounced government officials who made brief addresses to the crowds in front of the town hall as "opportunists".

"This is the reason I'm not rejoicing at all, because all of those people involved in this 'situation' are all concerning," said the demonstrator, who requested anonymity for concern for her safety.

Young Generation Viewpoint

A member of the young activists, a decentralized group of young people that has assisted in organizing the rallies, also voiced concerns about what would happen next. "We feel pleased, but significant events are unfolding [and] we don't want another corrupted person to take the power here, so we will take all measures to have the privilege to choose who to put up there," he said.