Senegalese security forces used tear gas to disperse youths attempting to gather in the center of the capital, Dakar, on Friday to protest a sudden delay in the presidential polls, witnessed by many journalists bringing live coverage of the events as they unfold.
Despite efforts by small groups in nearby streets to approach the center by throwing stones, they were met with resistance from anti-riot police, who closed off all access points to a central square.
Senegalese citizens were urged to demonstrate their opposition to the last-minute postponement of the presidential polls, in what has become a crucial test of power dynamics between President Macky Sall and his opponents.
The decision to postpone the February 25 election by 10 months, approved by parliament on Monday, has sparked strong opposition and international concern.
This unprecedented move has raised doubts about Senegal’s reputation for democratic stability in a region plagued by military coups.
Residents of Dakar have been called upon through social media to join a demonstration later on Friday at the large Place de la Nation square near the city center.
The organizers of the rally have not been disclosed, but several candidates for the postponed presidential election have announced their intention to participate in the protest.
Police in Dakar deployed significant resources at the Place de la Nation (formerly Obelisk), where the opposition and Senegalese civil society typically gather for major protests after Friday prayers.
By 2 p.m., all crowd movements were dispersed by the police. Even Muslim worshipers attending the Jummah prayer at the Mourid Massalikoul Djinane Grand Mosque were affected by tear gas fired by police.
The Place de la Nation square was cordoned off by a robust security presence. In nearby streets, violent clashes resembling urban guerrilla warfare erupted between demonstrators and police officers, both in Colobane and the HLM 6 corner Mousse district, where a taxi was set on fire near the Colobane market.
Education unions within the civil society platform Aar Sunu Election (Let’s Protect Our Election) called on teachers to walk out of schools on Friday.
Candidates, politicians, civil society, religious leaders, and the international community (ECOWAS, EU, Washington) have all condemned the decision and called on President Sall, whose mandate ends on April 2, to restore the original electoral calendar.
President Sall, on the other hand, has called for dialogue with the opposition, but the overwhelming majority of stakeholders have rejected this offer.
