After creating havoc at the funeral procession, the Mozambican police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disband a legal memorial march to celebrate the life and legacy of the people's rapper, Azagaia.

On Saturday, the Police of the Republic of Mozambique (PRM) violently repressed marches held across Mozambique in tribute to the musician Azagaia and fired tear gas and rubber bullets at hundreds of young people. The police injured and arrested innocent citizens who took to the streets simply to honour the "rapper of the people".

Plans for the march had been communicated to the Maputo Municipal Council which, surprisingly, did not show any objection. In a letter sent to the organisers on Friday, March 17, the mayor of Maputo called for "the observance of all regulatory norms for the exercise of the right to demonstrate, namely about the route, the intended purposes and the limitation of time".

That's what young people did, or rather, wanted to do.

From 7am they began to gather at the Eduardo Mondlane statue, the starting point of the march.

But when they arrived, they were faced with a strong contingent of armed police. When the PRM was informed that the Maputo Municipal Council was aware of the march and had communicated it to the PRM and to the State Information and Security Service, the police officers said they had "superior orders" to prevent the...