The office of the Consulate General of Senegal in New York City was ransacked on August 4th, resulting in extensive damage to doors, cameras, and office equipment.
Eleven individuals are wanted for questioning in connection with the incident, according to police who released photos to the media.
Among the suspects identified in the photos is activist Ousmane Tounkara, known for his radical stance on social media against Senegal’s President Macky Sall.
In reaction to the latest burglary at the Senegal consulate, Tounkara spoke to SunuAfrik Radio regarding the search for the 11 individuals sought by police for questioning.
Tounkara asserted that he and his lawyers are waiting with “firm feet” for the police to make arrests.
He also claimed that he did not enter the consulate’s doors on the day of the demonstrations. Tounkara said that PASTEF, the opposition party in Senegal led by Ousmane Sonko, organized these protests in response to Sonko’s arrest and the subsequent dissolution of his party.
Since June, Senegal’s consulates have faced increased threats after Sonko was handed a two-year jail sentence.
This conviction sparked clashes across the country between Sonko’s supporters and police, resulting in at least 16 deaths and dozens of injuries, marking the worst unrest in the West African country in decades.
This unrest spread overseas, leading to attacks on consulates in various cities, including Paris, Bordeaux, and Milan. The consulate in Milan suffered significant damage, with passport-making machines and identity cards destroyed.
The situation escalated when 40 Sonko supporters broke into the premises, attacked the consul general, and started a fire before police intervened.
Earlier this month, the Embassy of Senegal in Ottawa, Canada, faced a similar scenario.
On August 1st, a group of demonstrators forced their way into the embassy, committing several offenses, including assault, mischief over $5,000, forcible entry, and conspiracy to commit an indictable offense, according to Ottawa police.
Police are still actively searching for the suspects that burglarized the Consulate General of Senegal’s office.
