protests in Senegal
Serious protests broke out in some major cities in Senegal after Ousmane Sonko’s jail sentence was announced on Thursday, June 1, 2023.
In the afternoon after the verdict was handed down, Sonko’s supporters took to the streets in Dakar and in the southern city of Ziguinchor where he had been mayor since 2022.
Some embattled supporters set cars and buses ablaze at the university campus in the city centre. Others also pelted stones at riot police who in harsh reprisals also fired tear gas at the protesters.
Police fire back tear gas at protesters
Deadly clash between police and protesters
At least nine lives have been lost in the process while many businesses have also been shut down. Government has currently imposed restrictions on social media to curtail “the dissemination of hate and subversive messages”, according to Interior Minister Antoine Félix Diome.
According to the protesters, they fear the two years jail term would hinder their candidate, who is also perceived by many as President Macky Sall’s fiercest opponent, from contesting next year’s presidential election. Meanwhile, some police officers have stationed around Sonko’s home in Dakar amid the unrest.
By: The Spark
June 2, 2023
