Davostag

[Augustus]

 

Post-Election Protests Escalates into Mass Arrests and Violence

4 January 5634 | Kivonia, Davostag

 

 

Davostager police forces clash with protesters in the city of Fladborg.

 

The election of 14 November 5633 came as a shock to the nation. What had been seen as a most guaranteed victory for the Union for Democratic Reform (UDR) to enter the Riksdag, had instead resulted in a massive flop as 77.6% of voters had rejected the opposition party in favor of the ruling National Electoral Union. But according to the UDR and other opposition groups, this is supposedly a massive lie. Claims of voter fraud, voter intimidation, bribery and that supposed dead people had cast their votes, of course, as the courts had made clear was a claim without evidence. But the opposition is not content with their loss, they continue to hold on to the belief that the government had taken away their parliamentary entry. This leads us to today. We are now on day 49 of the post-election protests. The number of dissenters are not yet confirmed, but estimates put them at around 400 and 500 thousand, and in the first weeks mostly in the Nordsönderhamn region in the western parts of the country, around the city of Tårnbæk, the headquarters and stronghold of the UDR. But in the recent two weeks, the protesters began a march on Kivonia, encouraging all who can and "believe in truth and hope" to join them to demand new elections.
 
Now we are here and the capital city Kivonia is on high alert, thousands of stores have had to temporarily close as the protesters entered the city while clashing with civilian and military police. According to some sources, the police forces have arrested about nine thousand dissenters, while the number of injured has not yet been confirmed. At the moment only three people have died, which is four less than the protests two years ago that managed to bring down Axel Rodin's government. While a large amount of support to the protesters is given, this time counter-protesters have reached tens of thousands themselves, with reports of violent clashes between the groups in various cities.
 
While we have tried to reach Lena Greger, the current de facto leader of the opposition and the protesters in the absence of her imprisoned husband John Greger, we have been able to use alternative media to get a hold of her who told them that the original goal of the protests were primarily two things, "to hold new and fairer elections, as well as demanding the government release John from custody"; however, due to the violent escalations, having discussed with close confidants and her own reflection on where things were headed, she stated that "apparently Davostag does not learn, because it would seem, as always, that the only way to truly change government is to overthrow it", continuing by saying that the new goal with the protests is to change everything, "the government, the president, the constitution". After having reported her comments, it is said that the Military Police went on high alert nationwide, cracking down on anyone suspected of showing public support to the protesters.

The rikspresident, Gustav Dahler, who has been a very relaxed head of state since taking power in 5617, allowing his subordinates to interpret his will and enact decisions autonomously, has, according to sources, intervened personally on government level to make the necessary decisions to "crush rebel activity". Premier Manner is said to have taken a backseat in terms of coming government policy, to allow the rikspresident to do his thing to solve the rising tensions domestically. Other sources within several government departments have claimed that directives from the State Council have been issued to begin strategizing with the private sector to ensure the "stability and continuation of market growth, prepare for possible events" and to "simply hold steady".
 
News report written by Peter Åkerman.