Burkina Faso State TV Goes Off Air After Building Stormed
TVC NEWS [OUAGADOUGOU] - The Burkina Faso government made a televised statement on Thursday (October 30) announcing the revocation of a scheduled revision of the constitution and urged people to remain calm as protesters stormed the state TV building and ransacked it causing the service to go off air.
"This was a message signed by the government -- which informs the population of the cancellation of the examination of the proposed revision of the constitution. It also calls for calm and restraint from the population," the statement said.
A handful of soldiers who were guarding the building shot in the air to try to disperse the crowds but they continued advancing and the soldiers fled, a Reuters witness said.
Lawmakers had been due to vote on Thursday a plan proposed by the government to change the constitution to allow President Blaise Compaore to stand for re-election next year. He is due to stand down due to a two-term limit.
Earlier on Thursday thousands of protesters stormed the parliament and set fire to the building, ahead of the vote.
The crowd then headed towards the prime ministers office as a government helicopter flew overhead, shooting tear gas canisters at protesters.
Most deputies had not yet arrived when protesters entered the building.
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| Demonstrators filled the capital of Ouagadougou demanding the removal of Blaise Compaore who came to power after assassinating Capt. Thomas Sankara, a anti-imperialist and socialist, in 1987. |
"This was a message signed by the government -- which informs the population of the cancellation of the examination of the proposed revision of the constitution. It also calls for calm and restraint from the population," the statement said.
A handful of soldiers who were guarding the building shot in the air to try to disperse the crowds but they continued advancing and the soldiers fled, a Reuters witness said.
Lawmakers had been due to vote on Thursday a plan proposed by the government to change the constitution to allow President Blaise Compaore to stand for re-election next year. He is due to stand down due to a two-term limit.
Earlier on Thursday thousands of protesters stormed the parliament and set fire to the building, ahead of the vote.
The crowd then headed towards the prime ministers office as a government helicopter flew overhead, shooting tear gas canisters at protesters.
Most deputies had not yet arrived when protesters entered the building.
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