- Title: Police fire tear gas at Ivorians protesting over proposed constitution change
- Date: 20th October 2016
- Summary: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST (OCTOBER 20, 2016) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ONE OF THE OPPOSITION LEADERS, ABDOURAHAMANE SANGARE, ARRESTED BY POLICE SANGARE IN POLICE VEHICLE PROTESTERS RUNNING AMID TEAR GAS POLICE / SMOKE FROM TEAR GAS POLICE VEHICLE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD POLICE WALKING (SOUNDBITE) (French) A LEADER OF THE OPPOSITION FPI (POPULAR FRONT OF IVORY COAST) PARTY, MAMADOU COULIBALY, SAYING: 'We came here democratically to say No to this constitution and Mr. Ouatarra is putting us in jail." / COULIBALY BEING LED INTO POLICE VEHICLE POSTER READING (French): ''NO TO THIS VICE PRESIDENCY" (OPPOSITION IS AGAINST THE NEW VICE PRESIDENT POSITION CREATED IN THE NEW CONSTITUTION POSTER READING (French): "TWO MANDATES ARE ENOUGH" POSTER READING (French): ''LIFE IS EXPENSIVE AND NOW YOU CREATE A VICE PRESIDENCY" POLICE WALKING TOWARDS PROTESTERS POLICE ARRESTING PROTESTERS (SOUNDBITE) (French) DEPUTY LEADER OF FPI PARTY, KAKOU GNANGBO, SAYING: ''We came here with bare hands, with president Sangare. I am really shocked that we can't go to the Place de la Republique. They can arrest me because I am fighting for the same cause as those who were arrested." POLICE IN THE STREET
- Embargoed: 4th November 2016 10:19
- Keywords: Ivory Coast constitution referendum opposition protest tear gas
- Location: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST
- City: ABIDJAN, IVORY COAST
- Country: Ivory Coast
- Topics: Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00154T8VUV
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Police fired tear gas at demonstrators in Abidjan on Thursday (October 20) protesting against a new constitution put forward by President Alassane Ouatarra.
They also arrested Abdourahamane Sangare, leader of a hard-line faction of the opposition FPI party.
Ouatarra promised during his re-election campaign last year to remove the constitution's requirement for presidential candidates to have parents who are both natural-born Ivorian citizens, a sore point in a country that has long attracted immigrants from neighbouring countries.
Nationality was at the heart of a crisis that began with a 1999 coup and included a 2002-2003 civil war that split the West African nation in two for eight years.
Other revisions include removing a maximum age of 75 for presidential candidates and making it easier to change the constitution in future.
Protesters carried posters reading "two mandates are enough" -- a reference to the age limit, and "No to this vice presidency". They were opposing the creation of a new position for the vice president.
Opposition politicians and some civil society groups have criticised the drafting process as lacking consensus and transparency.
The constitution will be put to a referendum on October 30. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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