'This is clearly yet another blow for those who want to take peacefully to the streets'

  • 7 months ago

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Transcript
00:00 Well, the police announced last night that it was banning this demonstration, arguing
00:06 that the itinerary chosen was too risky, that the protest could prevent the free movement
00:12 of people or goods.
00:14 It's clearly yet another blow for those who want to take peacefully to the streets to
00:19 oppose President Macisal over the postponement of the presidential election.
00:26 Consequently, organizers of today's march have called it off.
00:30 Who are these organizers?
00:31 Well, it's a civil society platform made up of various groups, teachers, NGOs, religious
00:38 leaders.
00:39 We met them yesterday, and they were quite hopeful that this march would take place.
00:44 They said they wanted to take to the streets peacefully, but also that they had a very
00:48 clear objective, and that's for the electoral calendar to be restored.
00:54 Let's take a listen to one of these religious leaders, Imam Ndiaye, explaining to us the
00:59 goals of his movement.
01:01 This was, of course, before the news that today's march was banned.
01:08 Those who have raised their opposition to this procedure will have to continue until
01:11 constitutional order is restored.
01:16 We do not count on stopping here.
01:19 We have been able to mobilize the entire international community, all domestic organizations, to
01:25 chant the same slogan as us, rejecting this unilateral delay in the election.
01:33 Despite all of this, Clovis, are the Senegalese still going to take to the streets in protest
01:39 later today?
01:42 Indeed, that civil society group we just heard our Sunni election is holding a press
01:50 conference this afternoon.
01:52 They won't be taking part in what would have been a peaceful march.
01:56 Instead, you have other opposition parties calling their supporters to oppose President
02:03 Macisal, to voice their anger loud and clear today on the streets of Dakar and across the
02:09 country.
02:10 There is a lot of word spreading on social media with attempts to mobilize, gather supporters.
02:17 And you also have a government, the government who's just released a statement.
02:22 First, let me just tell you that on Friday and Saturday, during those deadly clashes
02:26 and previous demonstrations, three people were killed.
02:29 More than 260 people were injured.
02:31 So there are fears that violence, more violence, could erupt on the streets of Dakar and nationwide.
02:37 And the government has now released a statement saying it will cut off mobile internet access
02:44 at some parts of today in order, presumably, to prevent mobilization, to prevent any action
02:52 from opposition parties during these demonstrations.

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