Police and students clash in Bangui
Tension erupts at Lycée des Martyrs after police attempt to arrest a student over a phone theft.
Violent clashes erupted on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, near the Lycée des Martyrs in Bangui, as police and students engaged in a stone-throwing battle. The confrontations, marked by gunshots in the air and crowd surges, disrupted parts of the Central African Republic's capital. Several students experiencing distress were taken to the community hospital.
The conflict began when police attempted to arrest a student at the Lycée des Martyrs for alleged phone theft. According to reports, the law enforcement officers did not adhere to proper procedures during the apprehension. Upon learning of the arrest, fellow students left their classes and headed to the police station to demand explanations.
The incident occurred near the Compagnie Nationale de Sécurité (CNS). The students' protest at the police station escalated into the wider confrontation that paralyzed traffic and caused chaos in the city.
Why it mattersStudents at the Lycée des Martyrs in Bangui were directly affected by violent clashes with police, leading to some requiring hospital treatment.