San Antonio Express-News (Sunday)
Rally for Ethiopia’s new PM ends in death
9 police officials are arrested
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia — A thwarted attempt to hurl a grenade at the new reformist prime minister led to a deadly explosion Saturday at a massive rally in support of sweeping changes in Africa’s second-most populous country. Nine police officials were arrested, state media reported.
Witnesses said a man tried to throw the grenade at the stage as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed waved to the cheering crowd of tens of thousands shortly after he made a strong appeal for unity following months of antigovernment protests.
Addressing the nation minutes after he was rushed to safety, Abiy called the blast a “well-orchestrated attack” but a failure. He did not lay blame and said police were investigat- ing
At least one person was killed and 155 people were hurt, nine critically, Health Minister Amir Aman said.
“The prime minister was the target,” said Seyoum Teshome, a rally organizer. “An individual tried to hurl the grenade toward a stage where the prime minister was sitting but was held back by the crowd.”
The man with the grenade was wearing a police uniform, witness Abraham Tilahun said, and police officers nearby quickly restrained him. “Then we heard the explosion,” Tilahun said.
One of the arrested police officials was the deputy head of the capital’s police commission, state broadcaster ETV reported.
Video from the scene showed bloodstained ground and aban- doned shoes while people chanting the prime minister’s name fled, some clutching their heads in shock and despair.
The explosion in packed Meskel Square followed weeks of changes that shocked many in the East African nation after years of anti-government tensions, states of emergency, thousands of arrests and long internet shutdowns.
The 42-year-old Abiy took office in April and quickly announced the release of tens of thousands of prisoners, the opening of state-owned companies to private investment and the unconditional embrace of a peace deal with rival Eritrea. Websites were unblocked and opposition figures were invited to dinner. Ethiopians said they could hardly keep up with the pace of change.