Pro- and Anti-Government Demonstrators Engage in Combat in Kenya While Police Brandish Tear Gas Canisters

Tuesday’s confrontation between pro- and anti-government demonstrators in Kenya’s capital resulted in the destruction of a motorcycle belonging to a supporter of the president.

An anti-government rally was scheduled on Tuesday morning, so the pro-government group rode their motorbikes through the streets of Nairobi.

The anti-government gang set light to bonfires in the Imara Daima area along the route leading to Kenya’s biggest airport, the intended location of Tuesday’s protests. Due to lengthy security checks, airport officials encouraged travelers to arrive early. Flight services were otherwise operating as usual.

In another location, demonstrators had blocked a main route that connects to the airport, so police threw tear gas canisters at them.

The protests against the government in Kenya began as demands for lawmakers to reject a budget package that included higher taxes, and they are now in their fifth week. Protesters have continued to call for President William Ruto’s resignation, despite the fact that he has resigned from office and refuses to sign the contentious measure.

Since June 18, the demonstrations have resulted in at least 50 deaths and 413 injuries, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.

Police in Nairobi last week forbade protests, claiming a lack of clear leadership to work with law enforcement to guarantee safety and security.