Clashes erupted in Senegal's capital Dakar on Friday after the arrest of opposition leader Ousmane Sonko.

Protesters set alight to barricades placed in the middle of the road and riot police attended the scene.

"We are recording different types of injuries - bruises, open wounds," says Lamine Baal of the Red Cross in the video. "We can estimate about 50 wounded people being treated."

One protester says: "No one can accept the gagging of democracy and freedoms in our country. Senegal is a country of law, we must respect the Republic. And the first respect that the president and his regime must give to the citizens is to give Senegal its democracy and free Ousmane Sonko."

It is the third consecutive day of protests in support of Sonko, who has been accused of rape.

This footage was filmed and produced 5 March 2021.
The largest demonstrations in Senegal in recent years continued on Friday, expressing outrage at the arrest of the country's leading opposition figure, Ousmane Sonko, accused of rape.

Lamine BAAL, his is the Vice Coordinator of Red Cross Relief. He makes an assessment of the wounded of the demonstration:
[1:05-2:41] - It's since the day before yesterday that our assistance to the wounded began. We have at least two to three teams that can intervene and provide assistance to the population and the police. We are recording different types of injuries: bruises, open wounds. So those that we can manage on the spot we do, otherwise we do evacuations to health facilities. I won't be able to give the exact number but we can estimate about 50 wounded people being treated.

One of the protesters explains his position as follows:
[2:42-3:09] - No one can no longer accept the gagging of democracy and freedoms in our country. Senegal is a country of law, we must respect the Republic. And the first respect that the president and his regime must give to the citizens is to give Senegal its democracy and free Ousmane Sonko so that the people stand up we can fight to ensure our country the basis for its economic and social development.