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Algerians mbadively surrendered Friday in the capital and called for "civil disobedience" for the first time in their anti-regime campaign, which lasted for several months, despite a strong police presence.
"Civil disobedience is coming!" the protesters shouted, as they walked calmly through the center of Algiers.
Mbad demonstrations began in February against the two-decade-old regime of sick President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who was forced to withdraw in April.
Protesters continued to take to the streets, calling for the fall of other regime insiders, including Army Chief Ahmed Gaid Salah and Bouteflika's acting replacement, Abdelkader Bensalah.
"Salah – quit!" the demonstrators shouted.
A large number of police vehicles are lined up on both sides of the main downtown roads, hampering travel, while blocking access by secondary roads.
Thousands of officers – some in uniform, including riot gear; others in plain clothes – were deployed and a dozen people were arrested in the morning, before being taken away in police vans.
The impbade between the authorities and the protest movement has tightened since the de facto strongman Gaid Salah "categorically" rejected the preconditions for launching the talks.
The protest movement called for essential measures to be taken before any dialogue, including the lifting of police roadblocks around Algiers and the end of other efforts to block demonstrations.
Protesters also demand the release of those arrested following protests as a prelude to the talks.
Friday, a trader seemed puzzled by the refusal of the authorities to give ground.
"Why did Gaid refuse to calm things down?" asked Hocine Slimani, 67.
"Why leave young protesters in jail, how is it possible to speak in these conditions?"
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