Ministry of Internal Affairs of Kazakhstan: protesters in Alma-Ata, Shymkent and Taraz tried to seize city halls
In three cities of Kazakhstan, protesters attempted to attack local administrations (akimats). This was reported by TASS with reference to the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic.
It is noted that similar attempts were made in Alma-Ata, Shymkent and Taraz. There were broken windows, doors and material damage caused by me. At times, protesters used stones, sticks, gas, pepper and Molotov cocktails.
Thus, an attempt to seize the mayor's office of Almaty by protesters was caught on video, published by the Military Informant Telegram channel. They briefly managed to seize the building, but soon the security forces drove them out.
On January 2, protests against the rise in fuel prices began in Kazakhstan; on January 4, protesters clashed with security forces on Republic Square in Almaty. Law enforcers used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the protests. In Alma-Ata and in the Mangistau region, a state of emergency was introduced until January 19, during the period of the state of emergency, a curfew was declared from 23.00 to 7.00.
Later, the President of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, dismissed the government of the republic, and also instructed to introduce state regulation of prices for socially significant products and consider the need for a moratorium on increasing utilities for the population for a period of 180 days.
In addition, Tokayev proposed to introduce temporary state regulation of prices for liquefied gas, gasoline and diesel for a period of 180 calendar days. He instructed the Prosecutor General's Office to investigate the price collusion in the sale of liquefied gas. He also said that the government, in particular, the Ministry of Energy, is to blame for allowing a protest situation in connection with the increase in prices for liquefied gas.
