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Thousands of activists opposing Madagascar's head of state were supported on the streets of the main city on Saturday by troops from an specialized army squadron, who that morning declared they would not open fire on protesters.

Proceeding With Military Cars

Protesters marched together with military personnel from the Capsat unit, who operated armored vehicles, some displaying national flags, from their base in Soanierana in the south of Antananarivo.

Appealing to the Crowds

A Capsat leader, Lylison René de Rolland, then appealed to the supportive masses in front of the city hall in 13 May Square, which protesters had previously been prevented from reaching. Capsat military personnel installed the current head of state, Andry Rajoelina, to authority in a seizure of power in 2009.

Raising Pressure on the President

The military's participation escalated tension on Rajoelina, who demonstrators have been insisting on stand down. The student-led rallies commenced on 25 September, originally over service disruptions. However, they rapidly broadened into demands for a comprehensive restructuring of the governance structure, with the youth protesters not satisfied by Rajoelina dismissing his government last week.

Security Forces Response

Earlier in the day, police used stun grenades and teargas to try to scatter the demonstrators. The freshly assigned military affairs minister also urged soldiers to "stay composed", at a media briefing on Saturday.

"We call on our comrades who disagree with us to focus on dialogue," minister general Deramasinjaka Manantsoa Rakotoarivelo stated. "The Malagasy army continues to be a peacemaker and represents the state's ultimate protection."

Army Defiance

However, a Capsat officer accompanied by a significant number of troops called on other army divisions to "reject directives to attack your friends", in a footage that was posted on social media before they exited their barracks.

"We should unite, army, security forces and officers, and reject payment to fire upon our allies, our brothers and our fellow citizens," he stated, also urging troops at the aviation hub to "prevent all planes from leaving".

"Close the access points and wait for our instructions," he said. "Ignore commands from your officers. Direct your arms at those who command you to fire on your fellow soldiers, because they will not look after our families if we are killed."

Leader's Inactivity

Nothing has been shared on the head of state's digital platforms since Friday night, when he was photographed meeting the leaders of 10 of the country's universities to discuss bettering the student experience.

Activist Apprehensions

An demonstrator who attended that day's rallies said she was concerned about the participation of Capsat, due to their part in the 2009 takeover that brought Rajoelina to power. She also condemned government officials who made brief speeches to the masses in front of the town hall as "self-serving individuals".

"For this purpose I'm not celebrating at all, because all of those people gravitating around this 'event' are all dangerous," stated the activist, who declined to give her name for concern for her safety.

Young Generation Perspective

A member of Gen Z Madagascar, a leaderless collective of youth that has helped to coordinate the rallies, also voiced concerns about what would occur subsequently. "We feel pleased, but a lot is happening [and] we don't want another untrustworthy figure to gain authority here, so we will take all measures to have the right to choose who to install in leadership," he commented.