- Title: FRANCE: French Algerians demonstrate in solidarity with protests in Algeria
- Date: 20th February 2011
- Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (French) ALGERIAN FROM FRANCE, KELAF, SAYING: "After Tunisia, a protest movement which I supported with great pleasure for all they achieved, and then Egypt, I hope that all the Arab countries will up-rise and throw their dictators, all the dictators." VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SHOUTING: "ASSASSINS IN POWER" PROTESTERS WITH FLAGS SHOUTING: "BOUTEFLIKA GET OUT"
- Embargoed: 7th March 2011 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: France, France
- Country: France
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVABZB6GQNOGUTWKVTIU4MZPALLX
- Story Text: Algerian expatriates living in France gathered in Paris on Saturday (February 19) to show solidarity with the protest movement in their homeland as they seek to emulate the popular revolt in the Arab world.
A couple of hundred protesters, both French and Algerian, gathered at the Place de la Republique in central Paris, calling for a change of regime and the removal of President Abdelaziz Bouteflika.
"After Tunisia, a protest movement which I supported with great pleasure for all they achieved, and then Egypt, I hope that all the Arab countries will up-rise and throw their dictators, all the dictators," one protester of Algerian descent, Kelaf said.
After recent events in Tunisia and Egypt, rulers in several countries have announced political changes and moved to cut prices of basic foodstuffs, they also raised spending on job creations in effort to calm the spreading unrest.
Algerian President Bouteflika has promised to lift a 19 year old state of emergency soon.
In Algeria itself police in riot gear surrounded about 500 protesters trying to stage a march through the capital on Saturday, inspired by uprisings in other parts of the Arab world, in defiance of a ban. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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