riots leave nine dead

The children of Dakar (Senegal) come to observe the damage. In some neighborhoods, nothing has been spared. Cars, petrol stations and supermarkets were set on fire. On the ground, there is a mixture of stones and burnt tires. In the aftermath of the riots on Thursday June 1, the tension has not really subsided. On Thursday afternoon, Ousmane Sonko supporters stormed the streets of the capital and several towns across the country. The police had to retreat in the face of a determined and very violent crowd. A total of nine people died.

Political issues

“They must release Sonko so that we have peace in the country. We have families”, assures a Senegalese. Ousmane Sonko is the leader of the opposition. At first, he is accused of rape by the employee of a massage parlor he frequented. He was eventually sentenced to two years in prison for corruption of youth. His supporters refuse that he be imprisoned, because he would become ineligible and could not stand for the next presidential elections. Today, the French Embassy advises the French to stay at home.