DRC Protesters Attack Embassies Accused of Perpetrating Violence

By Al Mayadeen English

28 Jan 2025 23:10

The Democratic Republic of the Congo witnessed violent demonstrations that saw protesters extensively attacking foreign embassies accused of complicity in violence.

Protests erupted in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of Congo, on Tuesday as people stormed multiple embassies and set fires before the police used tear gas to disperse crowds. The demonstrations were fueled by anger over a Rwandan-backed rebel offensive in eastern Congo.

Targets of the unrest included embassies of France, Belgium, the Netherlands, the United States, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, and the United Nations. Protesters accused these nations of complicity in Rwanda's alleged support for the M23 rebels, who recently captured the provincial capital of Goma.

At the French embassy, the protesters burned tires, scaled walls, and chipped away at the building’s exterior. "All of this is because of Rwanda," said protester Joseph Ngoy. "What Rwanda is doing is in complicity with France, Belgium, the United States, and others. The people of Congo are tired. How many times should we die?"

Congo has long accused Rwanda of aiding the M23 rebels and deploying soldiers to assist them, allegations that Kigali denies. Rwanda, in turn, accuses Kinshasa of undermining peace efforts and failing to address militia threats near their shared border. 

Extensive damages to foreign embassies

The protests in Kinshasa left embassies damaged, with several gates burned and properties looted. Okello Oryem, Uganda's state minister for foreign affairs, described extensive damage at the Ugandan embassy, saying, "Chairs, desks, tables have been looted. The curtains have also been pulled out."

Belgian and French officials confirmed fires at their compounds. Belgian Foreign Ministry spokesperson David Jordens reported that the embassy gate was set on fire but quickly extinguished, with additional security later requested from Congolese authorities.

Police used tear gas to push back demonstrators, but witnesses reported that security forces did not intervene in some attacks, such as the looting of the Kenyan embassy. 

Congo’s Communications Minister Patrick Muyaya called for calm and urged protesters to cease attacks on foreign missions. "We have every right to express our anger, but let's do it peacefully," he said on local television. "Let's not attack the consular infrastructures of countries accredited in Congo."

M23 rebels seize Goma 

The Rwanda-backed M23 rebel militia announced on Monday that its forces captured the city of Goma in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, marking one of the most intense escalations both countries have faced in years. 

On Sunday, M23 militants seized key towns near Goma, including Minova and Sake, disrupting the supply of food and goods, with reports suggesting Rwanda may target Bukavu next. 

Fierce battles between M23 advance groups and the Congolese army were reported all day on Saturday, leading to the death of 9 South African troops and a Uruguayan member of the UN peacekeeping mission, in addition to the injury of four others.

The battle seemed to be pushing even closer to Goma's outskirts, with one source claiming that combat had reached Nzulo, almost within the city boundaries, bypassing the massive refugee camps that house more than a million people displaced by the conflict.

An M23 commander then announced the seizure of Goma, while the United States and France acknowledged its occupation, although officials have yet to publicly announce it.