Senegal police smash car, forcibly remove opposition leader
Police in Senegal have smashed the windows of a top opposition leader’s car and forced him from the vehicle after he appeared in court
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Police in Senegal smashed the window of a car in which a top opposition leader was sitting and forced him from the vehicle Thursday, marking the latest unrest surrounding a likely challenger to the ruling party in elections next year.
Videos recorded by his driver and posted on social media by his supporters showed police physically removing Ousmane Sonko from the back seat of his car after he appeared in a Dakar court.
Authorities later escorted the 46-year-old politician to his residence, according to Senegalese media. Sonko's supporters saw the incident as the latest attempt to cut short his political career, including his likely presidential candidacy in 2024.
Sonko finished third in Senegal's 2019 presidential election and has called on President Macky Sall to say publicly that he won't seek a third term.
The opposition leader was in court as part of a civil lawsuit against him by Senegal's tourism minister for defamation and public insults. The case stems from accusations that Sonko made against the minister during a news conference late last year. A judge on Thursday postponed the trial until next month.
After leaving the courthouse, Sonko greeted his supporters from his car. Police officers soon began firing tear gas at the crowd, according to AP journalists at the scene. The officers then stopped Sonko's car and demanded that he get out.
“The convoy of the main opposition leader is blocked by combat vehicles," Sonko's lawyer, Cire Cledor Ly, wrote in a text message to The Associated Press on Thursday afternoon.
It was unclear why police broke the car's windows and the government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Along with the defamation trial, Sonko also faces rape charges based on accusations from a female employee said she was assaulted at a massage salon. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and would be barred from running for president.
In 2021, days of deadly protests erupted after Sonko was arrested for disturbing public order while on his way to the courthouse for a scheduled appearance in the rape case. At least 13 people died during the worst violence to rock Senegal in years.