Kenya’s president William Ruto Calls Protests ‘Treasonous’ After Police Fire Live rounds at Demonstrators

Five people were shot dead and dozens wounded in Kenya on Tuesday in mounting anti-tax hike protests, as police clashed with demonstrators who stormed the parliament compound in Nairobi.

Police fired tear gas, water cannon, rubber bullets and, according to the eyewitness, live ammunition against protesters, as tensions sharply escalated in protests that have caught the government off guard.

The protests had been largely peaceful so far, but chaos erupted in the capital Tuesday, with crowds throwing stones at police, pushing past barricades and ultimately entering the grounds of Kenya’s parliament.