The demonstrations prompted the government to declare a state of emergency and Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn to submit his resignation amid the worst political crisis the country has faced in years. Thousands of Ethiopians have taken to the streets to protest exclusion from the country's political system and economic growth. The government's declaration of a state of emergency effectively bans protests, leading the U.S. Embassy to call for "greater freedom, not less." That state of emergency led to the arrest of more than 22,000 people and severely affected business. The U.S. Embassy in Ethiopia objected to last week's declaration of a state of emergency.

Source: Ethiopian News February 20, 2018 21:00 UTC