The city center of the Surinamese capital Paramaribo was closed on Friday evening local time by order of the police. Earlier in the day, anti-government protests turned into riots and parliament was stormed. There is a curfew in the downtown area until 6 a.m. local time. Shops have been called on to remain closed on Saturday.
President Chan Santokhi said in a televised speech on Friday evening that there had been “incidents” in several districts and neighborhoods and that the police and army had been deployed. According to the Surinamese news site Waterkant looted several stores and stones have also been thrown at the building and at the staff of the Central Bank of Suriname. Petrol stations were also robbed.
Also read this piece about previous protests: Santokhi bows, but the crisis in Suriname is not over
Storming parliament
On Friday morning, thousands of people protested against Santokhi and his government. After a pleasant start, according to Waterkant, a group of demonstrators first stormed the grounds of the parliament (the National Assembly) and then pelted the building. Dozens of people may also have entered the parliament and a fire would have raged. Police used tear gas against the rioters.
The demonstrators are especially angry about the government’s failing economic policy and the sky-high inflation of over 54 percent. They demanded the departure of President Santokhi. Last summer, demonstrators also took to the streets for weeks and then Santokhi managed to temporarily restore peace with a number of promises. Now he condemns Friday’s riots and says he is doing everything he can to protect the rule of law and democratic institutions.