Riots of October 1988 in Algeria

Chronology

04-10 In the evening, first riot in the district of Bab El-Oued in Algiers: plundering of stores, automobile fires, confrontations.
05-10 Day of the young people of Algiers who ransack all the street Didouche-Mourad: stores, airline companies, police stations, town halls, nightclubs, cars of civils servant. The youth of the rioters (often ten, eleven years) and their destroying negativity frighten more the capacities. The army does not intervene. The riot produces a strike de facto, much more general than that wanted by the trade union UGTA.
06-10 has midday, the state of siege is issued. In Algiers the riot begins again, and plunderings and destruction continue. The town halls of El Biar and Bachdjarah and the sub-prefecture of Hussein Dey flame. Several police stations are put at bag, and the insurrectionists take the weapons there. The “commercialo-cultural center”, proud window of the mode by extension, is destroyed. Many confrontations take place with the army. The riot gains Blida, Bordj Bou Arreridj.
07-10 Riots and confrontations continue. The army panics and draws on the gatherings in the streets from Algiers. The integrist ones” try, with the favor of this Friday day of please enter the movement and to take the direction of it; but whereas certain Imams invite to express peacefully, others exhort the rioters to be returned on their premises. In addition to Blida, where it continues, the riot gains Staoueli, Zeralda, Tiaret, Mostaganem, Annaba, Sétif, Fort national, Boufarik and Oran, where one ransack the building of FLN, the principal companies and the luxury hotels. Lastly, there are huntings for the press photographers.
08-10 Violent one harassings of the police force in the popular quarters of Algiers, at the fallen night. The riot gains the cities of the desert, Ouargla, Djelfa. The army draws on the mosques where take place of the funeral ceremonies of victims. All the estimates exceed the 200 dead ones.
10-10 the shootings of automatic weapons continue to be faced by young harceleurs. The market of Algiers miraculeusement is miraculeusement restocked, even of products which one did not find any more at the black-market. In the course of the day, the army grapeshot a peaceful demonstration the “integrist ones” at Bab El-Oued (25 to 30 dead). In the evening, speech of the president Chadli on television.
the last 12-10 confrontations, with Tizi Ouzou, at the time of a demonstration pro-Chadli attacked by counter-demonstrators. Lifting of the state of siege. Chadli announces a constitutional referendum: it is the end of the State-FLN.

The official results of 176 died and 900 arrests; the semi-official estimates go up to 500 dead and 4.000 arrests. The judgments of rioters go up to eight years of prison.

References

Library of the Riots, 15 Algeria
Benjamin Stora, History of independent Algeria, Reference mark the Discovery

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