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A multitude of demonstrators opposing the nation's president were accompanied on the avenues of the capital on Saturday afternoon by military personnel from an premier army squadron, who that morning declared they would not shoot at protesters.

Proceeding With Military Vehicles

Protesters marched alongside soldiers from the Capsat squadron, who operated military vehicles, some brandishing Madagascar flags, from their barracks in Soanierana in the southern district of Antananarivo.

Addressing the Masses

A Capsat commander, Lylison René de Rolland, then appealed to the cheering crowds in front of the municipal building in 13 May Square, which protesters had earlier been prevented from reaching. Capsat soldiers installed the present leader, Andry Rajoelina, to power in a coup in 2009.

Raising Strain on the Leader

The soldiers' participation increased strain on Rajoelina, who activists have been demanding step aside. The youth-led demonstrations broke out on 25 September, initially over water and electricity cuts. However, they quickly widened into appeals for a total restructuring of the governance structure, with the gen Z protesters not appeased by Rajoelina removing his administration last week.

Security Forces Measures

That morning, security forces fired stun grenades and chemical irritants to try to break up the activists. The newly named minister of the armed forces also called on troops to "keep peaceful", at a news conference on Saturday.

"We appeal to our colleagues who disagree with us to focus on discussion," minister general Deramasinjaka Manantsoa Rakotoarivelo stated. "Our nation's military remains a intermediary and constitutes the nation's final safeguard."

Military Defiance

However, a Capsat officer accompanied by a significant number of troops called on other military units to "reject directives to attack your allies", in a footage that was published on social media before they exited their headquarters.

"We should unite, army, security forces and officers, and refuse to be paid to attack our friends, our comrades and our compatriots," he declared, also appealing to troops at the airport to "stop all flights from taking off".

"Close the access points and wait for our instructions," he declared. "Do not obey directives from your superiors. Point your weapons at those who instruct you to attack your fellow soldiers, because they will not look after our loved ones if we perish."

Head of State's Inactivity

Nothing has been shared on the president's online profiles since Friday evening, when he was photographed conferring with the leaders of 10 of the country's higher education institutions to discuss bettering students' lives.

Activist Apprehensions

An activist who attended that day's rallies said she was apprehensive about the involvement of Capsat, due to their part in the 2009 coup that installed Rajoelina to leadership. She also criticised political figures who made brief addresses to the masses in front of the town hall as "opportunists".

"That's why I'm not celebrating at all, because all of those people gravitating around this 'event' are all risky," stated the protester, who declined to give her name for fear for her security.

Young Generation Perspective

A member of Gen Z Madagascar, a leaderless group of students that has supported the arrangement of the demonstrations, also raised questions about what would transpire in the future. "We are delighted, but significant events are unfolding [and] we wish to avoid another corrupted figure to take the power here, so we will take all measures to have the right to choose who to install in leadership," he commented.