DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — Police opened fire with tear gas on protesters who had gone ahead with a sleep-in Thursday at a downtown square, even though the government had banned the demonstration being held one week before the country’s presidential election.
It’s the second day that protesters have continued their demonstrations despite the government’s refusal to authorize the gathering. Senegalese police are allowed to use force to break up crowds at unauthorized protests, as they did on Wednesday to stop marchers who got within 500 yards (meters) of the presidential palace.
The country’s opposition is calling for the departure of 85-year-old President Abdoulaye Wade, who is insisting on running for a third term in the Feb. 26 election despite growing resistance from the population as well as criticism from the international community.
Interior Minister Ousmane Ngom defended the government’s decision to ban the protests even though the campaign season is in full swing, and the ruling party is holding regular rallies. He told reporters Thursday that Senegal has a long democratic tradition, and pointed out that 3050 demonstrations had been authorized last year, while only 245 — less than 5 percent — were banned due to a threat to public order.
He described the recent opposition demonstrations as “a crime spree by vagrants” and said that they cannot be equated with campaign events since most are not being organized by the candidates themselves.
The sleep-in on Thursday is being organized by a group of rappers known as Y’en a Marre, French for “We’ve had enough,” which is allied with the opposition but is not fielding a candidate in the election. Riot police began pelting the group with tear gas, after protesters tried to light tires on fire.
Security forces moved in and arrested Simon and Kilifeu, two of