Gambia Police Clash With Protesters Demanding President Barrow’s Resignation

Posted by African Examiner African News, Featured, Latest Headlines, West Africa Sunday, January 26th, 2020

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Police fired tear gas in clashes with several thousand protesters demanding the resignation of Gambia’s President Adama Barrow on Sunday, an opposition leader told dpa.

Demonstrators retaliated with stones and by burning tires in the streets of the capital Banjul, opposition coalition leader Abdou Njie said.

The demonstrators are angry that Barrow has not stepped down in line with an agreement with an opposition coalition that helped bring him to power in 2016.

The agreement stipulated that Barrow would resign after three years in office, two years ahead of the end of his presidential term.

But Barrow has given no indication that he is planning to honour the agreement and step down before his term ends.

Dozens of protesters were injured during the clashes, some seriously, while others were detained, Njie said.

The capital was under lockdown on Sunday, with no vehicles allowed to enter the city, police said in a statement.

Barrow took over the presidency in January 2017 from Yahya Jammeh, who ruled the Islamic Republic with an iron fist for 22 years and now lives in exile in Equatorial Guinea, being widely accused of human rights abuses, including killings, torture and arbitrary arrests. (/NAN)