It was June 4, and Senegal just entered the fourth day of political unrest following the incarceration of the main opposition leader Ousmane Sonko. Angry citizens took to the street to protest overall social and economic injustices afflicting what's thought to be one of the longest and most successful democracies in West Africa.
Yet, last week's images tell a very different story. Footages of police officers employing disproportionate force and arbitrary arrests to crack down on the rallies float around the web. At least 24 people have been killed and 390 injured during the violent clashes so far, according to the latest data. About 500 were detained, including minors, and many others are still missing. The toll is likely to be even higher.
