Dancing, chanting, t housands of Ivorians took to the streets of economic capital Abidjan on Thursday to welcome former Ivory Coast president Laurent Gbagbo.
Ivory Coast: Gbagbo supporters rejoice
Supporters of former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo react as his plane lands in Abidjan on June 17, 2021.
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A long awaited return for his supporters who can finally rejoice after 10 years.
"He's here, it's all over. Tomorrow will be a holiday. He came back - it's all over! All over! It's done! He came back. Sleep well and wake up tomorrow, we'll go to his place over there. We'll party!" shouts enthusiasticaly Alexandrine, a Gbagbo supporter.
"I'm really, really happy - Laurent Gbagbo came back today. All of the Ivory Coast has been brought back to life. We've lived through 10 years of terror in Ivory Coast. The real president has come back to the Ivory Coast and everyone is happy," said Nestor Bahi, a FPI supporter.
Tensions however heightened ahead of Laurent Gbagbo's arrival.
Police used tear gas to disperse supporters of the former president, as they tried to to gather near the airport to celebrate the return of a man they revere as a hero.