Protests over repeated water and power cuts have turned violent in Madagascar’s capital, and interest in offline messaging tools has jumped alongside the unrest, according to multiple reports and public signals.

Protests Shake The Capital

Reports have disclosed that crowds took to the streets after days of blackouts and shortages. Authorities imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew to try to stop looting and clashes.

Police used tear gas against some demonstrators and at least five deaths have been linked to the unrest. The pressure on the government was high enough that the Energy minister was removed from office amid the turmoil.

Bitchat Interest Surges

According to analytics cited by tech outlets, searches for the name “Bitchat” in Madagascar moved from 0 to 100 on Google Trends during th

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