Tensions flared in Lomé as Togolese security forces violently dispersed anti-government protests demanding the resignation of President Faure Gnassingbé. Using tear gas and batons, authorities broke up crowds that had blocked major roads with burning tyres and makeshift barricades in several parts of the capital. The protests, which began on Thursday, June 26, 2025, were part of a three-day campaign organized by civil society groups, political opposition, and online activists. Demonstrators rallied against Gnassingbé’s recent self-appointment as President of the newly created Council of Ministers—a powerful executive role without term limits. The move, critics argue, is a “constitutional coup” aimed at entrenching the Gnassingbé family’s 57-year rule.
Amnesty International reported that dozens of protesters were arrested earlier this month during similar demonstrations, though many were later released. Eyewitnesses say security forces responded with disproportionate force, triggering shop closures and sporadic clashes throughout Lomé and other urban areas.
Opposition leaders accuse the government of escalating repression amid worsening economic conditions and growing public disillusionment. The clampdown on protests comes just days after Togo suspended the broadcasts of France 24 and Radio France Internationale (RFI), accusing them of biased reporting—an action condemned by press freedom advocates as part of a broader crackdown on dissent.
President Gnassingbé has not publicly addressed the protests or the controversy surrounding his new appointment. The political standoff is the latest in a series of events raising concerns over democratic backsliding in the West African nation.
