Senegalese police broke the windows of a top opposition leader’s car and forced Ousmane Sonko out of the vehicle on Thursday after appearing in court.
Videos on social media seen by The Associated Press show police physically removing the 46-year-old politician from the back seat of the vehicle. He was subsequently escorted to his residence by the authorities and a government spokesman denied having been detained.
Sonko is being sued for defamation and public insult, charges stemming from allegations he made against Senegal’s tourism minister at a news conference late last year. On Thursday, the trial was postponed until next month.
After leaving the courthouse, Sonko waved to his supporters from his car. The police soon began firing tear gas into the gathering.
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Senegalese police vandalized the car of an opposition leader and forcibly removed him from the vehicle. (FoxNews)
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“The main opposition leader’s convoy is blocked by combat vehicles,” Sonko’s lawyer, Cire Cledor Ly, said in a text message to the AP on Thursday afternoon. It is not clear why the car was stopped and the government did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Sonko rose to prominence during the 2019 presidential election and is considered the favorite to challenge President Macky Sall in next year’s election.
The trial comes as Sonko fights rape charges, where, if convicted, he faces up to 10 years in jail and would be barred from running for president. Sonko’s supporters say the government is trying to derail the opposition leader’s political future.
Demonstrations to support Sonko have turned violent before.
Two years ago, at least 13 people were killed when supporters clashed with police after Sonko was arrested for disorderly conduct on his way to court for a scheduled appearance on rape charges.
