NetBlocks said social media and messaging apps, including Facebook, WhatsApp and YouTube, were limited early Friday ahead of a planned demonstration by civil society and opposition parties led by the protest movement “Y En A Marre” (Enough is Enough ).
Sonko, a 46-year-old tax inspector who came third with 15% of the vote in the 2019 presidential election, enjoys widespread support among Senegalese youth. He faces questioning after his parliamentary immunity was taken away last week.
While not immune to political turmoil, it has been several years since Senegal – one of West Africa’s most stable democracies – has witnessed such a violent showdown between protesters and the authorities.
“We call on the Senegalese authorities to respect the freedom of peaceful assembly across the country,” said Samira Daoud, regional director of rights group Amnesty International.
Amnesty expressed concern at what was said as a wave of arbitrary arrests during a crackdown that saw two private television channels suspended for 72 hours over their coverage of the protests.
It was quiet on the streets of Dakar early on Friday. Some had been swept clean of debris and burnt tires from the previous day, when protesters threw stones at riot police who fired guns and tear gas in response.
To brace themselves for the protests, some schools and shops were closed after looting and destruction in several areas of the capital.