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Thousands of demonstrators opposing the nation's leader were supported on the roads of the capital city on Saturday afternoon by soldiers from an elite army division, who that morning said they would not fire on demonstrators.

Marching With Military Cars

Activists marched with military personnel from the Capsat unit, who operated heavy cars, some displaying national flags, from their headquarters in Soanierana in the southern part of Antananarivo.

Appealing to the Gathering

A Capsat leader, Lylison René de Rolland, then addressed the supportive crowds in front of the town hall in 13 May Square, which demonstrators had before been blocked from accessing. Capsat troops propelled the current leader, Andry Rajoelina, to leadership in a coup in 2009.

Raising Tension on the Head of State

The soldiers' intervention escalated tension on Rajoelina, who activists have been insisting on stand down. The student-led rallies erupted on 25 September, originally over water and electricity cuts. However, they rapidly widened into demands for a complete reform of the political system, with the gen Z protesters not placated by Rajoelina removing his cabinet last week.

Law Enforcement Response

Earlier in the day, security forces fired stun grenades and chemical irritants to try to scatter the demonstrators. The recently appointed defense minister also appealed to troops to "remain calm", at a media briefing on Saturday.

"We appeal to our colleagues who oppose us to focus on discussion," general minister Deramasinjaka Manantsoa Rakotoarivelo said. "The Malagasy army remains a intermediary and represents the country's final safeguard."

Army Opposition

However, a Capsat leader joined by a significant number of soldiers called on other military units to "refuse orders to attack your allies", in a footage that was published on online platforms before they departed from their base.

"We must combine efforts, army, security forces and police, and decline compensation to shoot our allies, our colleagues and our sisters," he stated, also calling on troops at the aviation hub to "block all planes from departing".

"Close the access points and wait for our instructions," he stated. "Ignore orders from your superiors. Aim your firearms at those who instruct you to shoot at your military brothers, because they will not take care of our loved ones if we perish."

Head of State's Silence

No updates has been shared on the head of state's social media accounts since Friday night, when he was pictured meeting the leaders of 10 of the country's higher education institutions to discuss bettering students' lives.

Activist Apprehensions

An protester who joined Saturday's demonstrations stated she was worried about the participation of Capsat, due to their involvement in the 2009 coup that installed Rajoelina to power. She also denounced political figures who made brief statements to the masses in front of the town hall as "self-serving individuals".

"This is the reason I'm not celebrating at all, because all of those people circling this 'development' are all dangerous," stated the demonstrator, who declined to give her name for fear for her security.

Young Generation Perspective

A representative of Gen Z Madagascar, a non-hierarchical organization of students that has supported the arrangement of the protests, also voiced concerns about what would happen next. "We are delighted, but significant events are unfolding [and] we do not desire another dishonest figure to take the power here, so we will employ all means to have the opportunity to choose who to put up there," he stated.