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Macedonians take on government in massive protest

More than 20,000 Macedonians protested against the government in the largest demonstration of the Colourful Revolution.

Macedonia - Colourful Revolution June 20
Protesters gather in front of the Special Prosecutor's office, where demonstrations start in Skopje. [Lazar Simeonov/Al Jazeera]
By Lazar Simeonov
Published On 22 Jun 201622 Jun 2016
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Skopje, Macedonia – For more than two months, thousands of demonstrators have flooded the streets of the Macedonian capital, Skopje, almost daily.

In what has been referred to as the “Colourful Revolution”, Macedonians are protesting against the government, corruption and a major wiretapping scandal in which the opposition accuses the government of surveilling more than 20,000 people.

The protests were sparked in early April, when President Gjorge Ivanov issued pardons to 56 politicians and businessmen, most of them connected to the ruling party, the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organisation – Democratic Party for Macedonian Unity (VMRO-DPMNE). 

Under pressure as the Colourful Revolution gained steam and European Union and NATO – both of which Macedonia aspires to join – voiced objections, Ivanov revoked the pardons earlier this month. 

On Monday, more than 20,000 Macedonians came out for the largest protest since the movement was launched more than two months ago. 

Colourful Revolution supporters have called for the government to resign and politicians, among them former Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, to be put on trial for the crimes they accuse them of committing.

Macedonia 2 - Colourful Revolution June 20
Opposition leader Zoran Zaev has participated in the protests. [Lazar Simeonov/Al Jazeera]
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Macedonia 3 - Colourful Revolution June 20
Pavle Bogoevski, a prominent activist who was briefly arrested over the weekend, delivered a speech. [Lazar Simeonov/Al Jazeera]
Macedonia 4 - Colourful Revolution June 20
Protesters douse the Ministry of Justice building in paint. [Lazar Simeonov/Al Jazeera]
Macedonia 6 - June 20 Colourful Revolution
Police stood by as angry protesters smashed the windows of the Ministry of Justice. [Lazar Simeonov/Al Jazeera]
Macedonia Colourful Revolution
Protesters march outside the parliament with flares and flags. [Lazar Simeonov/Al Jazeera]
Colourful Revolution Macedonia 13
A "human slingshot" for shooting paint balloons is a regular feature of the protests. [Lazar Simeonov/Al Jazeera]
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Macedonia 8 - Colourful Revolution June 20
Masked protesters took down the barrier around the nationalist Prometheus statue. [Lazar Simeonov/Al Jazeera]
Macedonia 9 - Colourful Revolution June 20
Statues built as part of the government's Skopje 2014 project have come to symbolise corruption for demonstrators. [Lazar Simeonov/Al Jazeera]
Macedonia 10 - Colourful Revolution June 20
Although tensions were high on Monday, there were no clashes with police. [Lazar Simeonov/Al Jazeera]


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