Luanda, ANGOLA, October 26 - At least 103 people, arrested last Saturday following an illegal protest against the government's policies, will be summarily tried this Monday. ,

According to the Secretary of State for the Interior, Salvador Rodrigues, who was speaking to the Sunday news bulletin of the Televisão Pública de Angola (TPA), amongst those arrested are leaders and activists of UNITA, the main opposition party.

The group is made up of 90 men and 13 women, accused of "riot and disobedience" to the Angolan authorities, which had made protest impossible, as a way to avoid mass contamination of Covid-19.

The demonstration was attempted in clear violation of the new Presidential Decree on the Situation of Public Calamity, which restricts street gatherings to five people.

The march, frustrated by the National Police, had hundreds of participants, encouraged by civil society activists and members of the UNITA leadership.

They tried to protest against the failure to set a date for local councils' elections and the lack of employment, as well as to demand better social conditions.

The attempt at a demonstration was marked by acts of confrontation to the police forces, including the throwing of stones and other objects, vandalisation of public goods, barriers on the roads and burning of tyres, resulting in six injured, agents of the National Police, the destruction of the resources of the corporation and of passers-by.