Jacobean Cildania (5321 - 5369)

[Wu Han]

24/7 News is a popular outlet for quick and short bits about the latest news in Cildania, it leans towards the populist side of politics.

POLICE AND PROTESTORS CLASH AS CABINET ANNOUNCEMENT PROTESTS TURN VIOLENT

15 September 5337 - The January 5337 elections caused discontent across the benches in the Council of Deputies. With Alagona and the Consitutionalists under Falzon openly attacking the Order of Saint Sebastian, insisting on calling them neo-fascist even since the 5335 rebrand of the party and major media publications going along with this rhetoric tensions were already high. With the Order of Saint Sebastian nominally winning elections and One Flag as well as People's Choice supporting efforts to see a centre-right government form the voter base of said parties were surprised when a far-left cabinet with AgK (FA and PK alliance) suddenly appeared. The right-wing voter base, encouraged by blogs such as Ir-Reżistenza and Il-Veritá Iebsa, started protesting. They were not alone, as many across Cildania were unhappy with the new cabinet. The unstable coalition that has been dubbed 'Alagona's House of Cards' by prize-winning HtS journalist Massimiljanu Coleiro may even face rebellions on the inside as some more right-leaning Deputies fear the far-left policies that the new cabinet will draft.

While sporadic protests had been happening for months the streets filled at the new cabinet announcement. Former OtSB Deputy Valentinu Pizzuto, recently removed as a part of Zammit-Barca's 'anti-fascist purges', called upon followers of the disappeared Rizzo to take to the streets and "take our country back". With thousands filling the streets the National Police opted to send in their anti-riot squads as a precaution, a move that was seen by many as the government's attempt to silence the protesters. It did not take long for violence to erupt, with protesters and police clashing across Qart Qildar. Shops were looted, cars were set ablaze, police officers were beaten. An anonymous man referring to himself as 'Ponn' has claimed leadership of the more violent protesters and is, in his words, leading an "offensive against the corrupt state". Some sources identify Ponn as a senior figure within the neo-fascist Righteous Men movement. So far the police has been unable to regain control of many streets in Qart Qildar as the violence continues throughout the night.

ZAMMIT-BARCA CALLS FOR ORDER: "GO HOME, THE ONLY WAY TO DEFEAT THEM IS IN PARLIAMENT."

15 September 5337 - Election winner and leader of the Order of Saint Sebastian Dumniku Zammit-Barca has called for protesters to go home and stop "destroying our ancient capital". Zammit-Barca declared great disappointment in the course of the negotiations towards a new coalition and openly stated he wished "to go in those backrooms and wring their ignorant necks" but insists these are only "words of frustration". "Like my colleague Falzon I am a man of strong words, a man of emotions that I am not afraid to hide when it is about matters that I truly believe in." Zammit-Barca won the elections in January and seemed close to a coalition, after which the far-left Radical Labour Party abruptly left the talks. "My father once said to never trust a socialist, I was hoping he was wrong," said a disappointed Zammit-Barca after the announcement of the new coalition.

Nonetheless he has condemned the current riots across the nation's capital: "What is happening in my city right now is a true disgrace. I truly hope that as Cildanians we are better than this. As a former police officer I believe in law and order, the streets should at all times be a peaceful place for every citizen." In support of their party leader many OtSB Deputies went onto social media to share their disapproval of the riots, with prominent party Deputy Beatriċi Romano openly blaming the protestors for the current predicament: "Had you been out voting for Dumniku we would be in government now."

The Order of Saint Sebastian has recently put big emphasize on being a "decent family party" and is trying to shake their anti-democratic and anti-Yeudi roots, with their newest Deputy being the Yeudi doctor Mosè Eradi of the Qildarmim district. In a last ditch effort to calm down the protests Dumniku Zammit-Barca put out a a direct address to the protesters: "Go home, the only way to defeat our political enemies is in parliament or by calling upon the police and military when they break the law. All this is a part of being a democracy. Go. Home."

"CONSIDERABLE RISK" FOR FAMILIES OF PROMINENT POLITICIANS SAYS NATIONAL POLICE

16 September 5337 - With a day of protests wreaking havoc across Qart Qildar further smaller protests have erupted in other large cities like Amat, Keret and Santa Alexandra. Anarchist, far-right, and other anti-government groups have made good use of the previous 24 hours of chaos by going on the streets. Criminal street gangs have resorted to looting and in Qart Qildar's Yeudi district there are unconfirmed reports of Yeudi shopkeepers opening fire on looters. The police have so far not handed out official statements on the progress of the riots but have warned about violence against families of prominent politicians.

"We believe certain families of certain politicians are at a considerable risk and we have advised them to lay low and accept further police protection," said section chief Alwiġi Manche of the National Police. 24/7 News sources claim that both left-wing and right-wing politicians are a target. In a leaked list Alagona's wife has come up as a potential target for the Righteous Men, with one message submitted as evidence stating "the bimbo b--ch must die". The OtSB's Dumniku Zammit-Barca is also a target, having been named a "traitor to the legacy of Rizzo." Zammit-Barca was previously a high profile target for organized crime, but now also seems to be able to count the neo-fascists amongst his enemies. The police have assured appropriate measures will and have been taken to assure the safety of "all those who were named".

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Originally posted by Kubrick on 26 Jul 2023.