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The 2025 Kinshasa riots are a series of violent demonstrations that occurred on January 28, 2025 in Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Multiple foreign diplomatic missions, including the embassies of the United States, France, Netherlands, Belgium, Rwanda, Kenya, and Uganda, became targets of civil unrest as protesters expressed their opposition to perceived international inaction regarding M23 rebel advances in eastern DRC.
A conflict began between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda in 2022 after Rwandan forces entered the country to provide military support to the March 23 Movement (M23) rebel group, including fighting alongside them against the Congolese military (FARDC) and pro-government militias.
Burundi, which has accused Rwanda of orchestrating a 2015 coup attempt, deployed troops to assist the DRC against the M23 offensive.[17] The MONUSCO peacekeeping mission has maintained that it is not involved in the conflict apart from its role in defending the region from militants,[18] but has been accused by Rwanda of taking sides due to its cooperation with the Congolese armed forces.[19] Meanwhile, the Congolese government has asked MONUSCO peacekeepers to leave the DRC due to a "failure to protect civilians from armed groups."[20]
There were two efforts at peace negotiations organized between the DRC and Rwanda: one hosted by Kenya in 2022, which failed, and another hosted by Angola in 2024, the latter leading to a ceasefire agreement in August.[21] Fighting between Congolese forces and Rwandan-backed M23 rebels resumed in October 2024 after having slowed down, and intensified towards the end of the year. Planned negotiations between Rwandan president Paul Kagame and Congolese president Felix Tshisekedi in December were cancelled over disagreements about preconditions.[22]
During January 2025, the rebels carried out a successful offensive on Goma, the capital of the DRC's North Kivu province, displacing over 400,000 people and causing the DRC to cut off its diplomatic ties with Rwanda. The Congolese government called Rwandan military support for the rebels a "declaration of war."[23][24][25][26] The fall of Goma after several days of fighting in late January has been the largest escalation of the Kivu conflict since M23 first occupied the city in 2012.[27] M23 continued its advance into the rest of North Kivu and into South Kivu during February, capturing the latter's capital Bukavu. The African Union has called on M23 to withdraw to prevent the "balkanization" of the DR Congo[28] and the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2773 that also called on Rwanda to end its support for M23.[29]
Protests and riots
The advancement of M23 forces into Goma, the capital of North Kivu and a major regional hub with a population of two million, sparked intense public anger in Kinshasa, particularly directed at nations perceived as failing to intervene in the conflict. Protests conducted on highlighted growing tensions over the international community's response to the ongoing conflict in eastern DRC, with demonstrators specifically calling for increased pressure on Rwanda regarding its alleged support of the M23 rebels.[30] Anger was expressed towards European and neighboring African nations' perceived hypocrisy in demanding peace while continuing to diplomatically support Rwanda, with several protesters calling them complicit in the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis.[31]
During the demonstrations, protesters targeted multiple diplomatic facilities in Kinshasa. The most significant damage occurred at the embassies of France, Rwanda, and Belgium, where demonstrators engaged in acts of vandalism and arson, setting fires to portions of the diplomatic compounds. The Kenyan and Ugandan diplomatic missions were also targeted during the unrest.[30][31] Protesters burned tires in the streets and engaged in direct confrontations with security forces.[32] In a security alert, the U.S. Embassy in the Democratic Republic of the Congo reported that large crowds were throwing rocks, attacking vehicles, setting up roadblocks, and setting small fires amid the unrest.[33]
In addition, local markets and supermarkets were looted across the city.[31]
Response
Law enforcement responded to the situation by deploying tear gas and firing warning shots to disperse the crowds.[30] The DRC's Minister of Communications Patrick Muyaya Katembwe addressed the situation on national television, calling for peaceful demonstrations and urging protesters to respect diplomatic infrastructure.[32]
The US Embassy issued guidance to its citizens, recommending they shelter in place before seeking safe departure from the country while commercial travel options remained available. The embassy specifically warned about potential roadblocks and protests affecting routes to airports.[31][33]
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