LOME, Togo (BN24) — Soldiers in Togo clashed with demonstrators Thursday, using tear gas and batons to disperse hundreds of protesters who blocked major roads in the capital to demand the resignation of Faure Gnassingbe, the West African country’s longtime ruler.
The protests underscored the deepening political tensions in Togo after Gnassingbe assumed a sweeping new role as president of the Council of Ministers, a position created last month that has no term limits. Opposition leaders have condemned the appointment as a “constitutional coup,” warning it effectively allows Gnassingbe to extend his family’s grip on power indefinitely.
Witnesses said demonstrators gathered early Thursday in several neighborhoods of Lome, erecting barricades with burning tires and wooden debris that sent thick plumes of smoke into the air. Security forces responded quickly, charging into the crowds to break up the rallies organized by a coalition of bloggers and activists.
By midday, soldiers in trucks were seen patrolling the city’s main arteries, where storefronts were shuttered and the atmosphere remained tense. Scattered clashes continued into the afternoon as protesters regrouped in the suburbs.
“We’re hungry. Nothing works for Togolese youth any more, that’s why we’re going out to protest this morning,” said Kossi Albert, a 30-year-old unemployed man who joined the demonstration. Albert said he planned to return to the streets on Friday despite the crackdown.
Calls for three days of protests were issued earlier this week, but authorities moved swiftly to quash the gatherings. Togo’s minister of territorial administration, Hodabalo Awate, did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the security response.
The unrest comes weeks after dozens of people were arrested during demonstrations against Gnassingbe’s consolidation of power. Amnesty International said many were quickly released, though rights groups have raised alarms about a broader clampdown on dissent amid soaring living costs.
Gnassingbe, who has already served two decades as president, inherited leadership from his father, Gnassingbe Eyadema, who seized power in a 1967 coup and ruled Togo until his death in 2005. Together, the father and son have overseen more than half a century of continuous rule.
Last week, Togolese authorities suspended the broadcasts of French international news outlets RFI and France 24 for three months, accusing them of biased reporting. The move was widely criticized by press freedom advocates as part of a wider effort to stifle independent coverage of opposition activity.
As tensions simmered Thursday, the demonstrations signaled growing frustration among Togolese citizens who say their demands for political reform and economic relief have been ignored.
