Senegal: Police and protesters clash in Dakar in first major unrest over vote delay | Oneindia News
Senegal's capital and other cities witnessed clashes between security forces and protesters, marking widespread unrest stemming from the postponement of a presidential election, which many fear could breed prolonged instability. In Dakar, riot police deployed tear gas, stun grenades, and apparent rubber bullets against protesters burning tires and hurling stones, as reported. Meanwhile, in the northern city of Saint-Louis, opposition leader Khalifa Sall claimed that a student was killed during the unrest.
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#Senegal #DakarProtests #VoteDelay #PoliticalUnrest #ProtestClash #DemocracyInCrisis #ConstitutionalCrisis #MackySall #ElectionPostponement #SenegalCrisis #DemocracyUnderThreat #ProtestViolence #SecurityForces #OppositionOutcry #DemocraticValues #ElectoralIntegrity #ConstitutionalRights #PeacefulProtest #JusticeForSenegal #DemocracyAtRisk
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Senegal's capital and other cities witnessed clashes between security forces and protesters,
00:07 marking widespread unrest stemming from the postponement of a presidential election, which
00:12 many fear could breed prolonged instability.
00:16 In Dakar, riot police deployed tear gas, stun grenades and apparent rubber bullets against
00:21 protesters, burning tires and hurling stones.
00:24 Meanwhile, in the northern city of St. Louis, opposition leader Khalifa Assad claimed that
00:29 the student was killed during the unrest, although the report remains unverified.
00:35 Opposition figures, including Salle, have decried the postponement of the election as
00:38 an institutional coup, denouncing it as an unjustifiable halt to the electoral process.
00:44 Parliament's decision to delay the February 25 vote until December, ostensibly due to
00:49 disputes over the candidate list, has raised concerns about the integrity of Senegal's
00:54 democratic framework.
00:56 Amid the protests, demonstrators voiced their discontent, accusing President Macky Salle
01:01 of attempting to consolidate power beyond his constitutional limits.
01:05 The international community, including the West African bloc, ECOWAS and various foreign
01:09 powers, has criticized the postponement, reviewing it as a departure from Senegal's democratic
01:15 norms.
01:16 Justice Minister Aissata Talsal emphasized the need for calm, asserting that the postponement
01:22 was a parliamentary decision rather than the president's prerogative.
01:25 She defended the legality of the delay, arguing that it adhered to constitutional provisions.
01:30 The U.S. Embassy in Dakar echoed ECOWAS' call for electoral calendar restoration in
01:35 accordance with the constitution, expressing support for Senegalese voices, advocating
01:39 for adherence to democratic principles.
01:41 The postponement bill, passed by a majority in Parliament, was met with opposition from
01:45 lawmakers and presidential candidates who have lodged legal challenges with the constitutional
01:50 court.
01:51 However, Talsal contended that the court lacked jurisdiction over these challenges, leaving
01:56 unresolved the question of legal recourse for dissenting parties.
02:00 Despite the tensions, Talsal asserted that Senegal remained a functioning democracy,
02:04 highlighting the recourse to legal challenges as evidence of institutional robustness.
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