![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIndigenous deaths in custody haunt AustraliaPublished15 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, SuppliedImage caption, Raylene Nixon’s son Steven died after being put in a chokehold by a Queensland police officerBy Hannah RitchieBBC News, Sydney”It’s a pain you can’t describe,” Raylene Nixon says quietly.”It’s something that you feel deeper than a broken heart – it’s pain in your soul.”In 2021, she sat in a sterile room and watched Australian police footage of her son’s death in real time, as he gasped for air and pleaded for help.”Choke him out,” one officer can be heard yelling in the body camera video, before another places Steven Nixon-McKellar in a chokehold. Moments later, the 27-year-old Aboriginal man lost consciousness. Paramedics failed to resuscitate him, as his throat was obstructed by vomit.Mr Nixon-McKellar is one of 562 Indigenous Australians to die in police custody since 1991 – the year a landmark inquiry, intended to turn the tide on the issue, released hundreds of recommendations. But few of those proposals have been implemented, studies suggest, and Indigenous people continue to die at alarming rates in prison cells, police vans, or during arrest. Last year was the most lethal on record, according to government data. Police advocates insist officers are using necessary force when confronted with life-threatening situations, and that each death is thoroughly examined.But critics say there is a “culture of impunity” in which “police are investigating police” in cases alleging excessive force. They point out there has never been a conviction of a police or corrections officer over an Indigenous death in their care. “We’re sending a message to society about what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour,” criminologist Amanda Porter says.”And in Australia at the moment – it’s open season.”‘They only knew the colour of his skin’Mr Nixon-McKellar died during his attempted arrest following an anonymous call to Queensland police suggesting he had been driving a stolen vehicle. The officers involved have defended their use of the neck hold – which is now banned – on the basis that he was “fighting” them at the scene, making it difficult to deploy a taser or pepper spray. Image source, Dhadjowa FoundationImage caption, A coroner’s findings into Steven Nixon-McKellar’s death will soon be releasedBut Ms Nixon questions whether they might have acted differently had her son been white. “The only thing they knew about him was the colour of his skin,” she tells the BBC.The findings from a coroner’s inquiry into his death will soon be made public. His case bears similarities to the death of David Dungay Jr inside a Sydney prison in 2015, a nationally famous incident which has been compared to George Floyd’s death in the US.Like Mr Floyd, Mr Dungay also repeatedly yelled “I can’t breathe” in his final moments. A diabetic, the 26-year-old had been trying to eat a packet of biscuits when six guards entered his cell with a riot shield to restrain him. Five of them pinned him face down on a bed and sedated him. “You’re the one who brought this on yourself Dungay,” one officer can be heard saying in footage of the incident. “If you’re talking you can breathe,” another adds.Corrective Services New South Wales has maintained that the death was not suspicious, and an internal investigation found no criminal negligence. A coroner did find that “agitation as a result of the use of force” was a contributing factor, along with Mr Dungay’s pre-existing health conditions – but declined to send the case to prosecutors.Mr Dungay’s family has run a years-long campaign calling for charges to be laid against the officers involved. It led to a petition with over 110,000 signatures being sent to the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The office did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Leetona Dungay has been prominent in Australia’s Black Lives Matter movement since her son’s deathThe over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia’s criminal justice system is a key driver of Indigenous deaths in custody.That was one of the central findings of the 1991 inquiry – and it has worsened with time. Today Indigenous people comprise 33% of Australia’s prisoners, though they are just 3.8% of the national population. Socio-economic disadvantage and “over-policing” are central to the disparity, numerous investigations have heard.”There’s a legacy of colonisation in Australia where First Nations people have always been disproportionately segregated and controlled,” says Thalia Anthony, a law professor at the University of Technology Sydney. She and others argue this has injected racist stereotypes into policing, leading to Indigenous Australians being treated as “deviant, drug addicted, or alcoholics” and paid undue attention. Reviews are currently under way in Queensland and the Northern Territory to address allegations of widespread racism within both forces. Western Australia Police has introduced strategies to address institutional racism, and Victoria Police’s chief commissioner recently offered an unreserved apology to Aboriginal families for “undetected, unchecked and unpunished” systemic discrimination. Federal and state governments have introduced some services aimed at lowering Indigenous incarceration rates. Most recently, Canberra committed to funding community-led programmes designed to tackle the root causes of offending and disadvantage.”Too many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are being robbed of their futures by a system that has let them down,” Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney told the BBC.Experts have welcomed such initiatives, but many also call for broad reforms to bail conditions and the decriminalisation of minor offences which they say stem from issues such as homelessness.Ms Burney said that state governments, which oversee local laws and policing, hold “most of the levers”.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Protests have decried the deaths of Indigenous Australians in custodyAnd voter sentiment is one reason why states are often creating “new offences, increasing sentences and building more jails” despite falling crime rates, explains Prof Luke McNamara from the University of New South Wales.He describes the conflict between the two approaches as “an unresolved paradox” playing out in real-time. ‘No-one gets justice’ David Dungay Jr’s mother, Leetona, has now taken his case to the United Nations, filing a motion against state and federal governments for violating her son’s right to life. It will be decided in the coming weeks.She hopes it will force Australia to confront its record on Indigenous deaths in custody and fix “systemic failures”.”I want to get justice for David,” Ms Dungay tells the BBC. “It was murder. No-one attempted to help my son.”But if you ask Corina Rich, “no-one gets justice”. Her son Brandon died after a prolonged struggle with police at his grandmother’s property in rural New South Wales in 2021.Two officers had been called to respond to a domestic dispute. Their attempts to arrest Mr Rich ultimately resulted in him being stripped of his clothes, pepper sprayed, and pinned down.When he lost consciousness, police say they immediately tried to resuscitate him and failed. But they didn’t wear body cameras – despite it being policy – meaning the details of the 29-year-old’s final moments rely almost solely on the officers’ testimony.NSW Police said that “remedial action” was taken against both for the camera violation. Last month, a coroner found Mr Rich had died of physical exertion and stress, but that it was not possible to determine whether the use of force applied by police was a contributing factor.Image source, Supplied: Corina RichImage caption, Brandon Rich, pictured with his nephew, died after a prolonged struggle with two police officersFor Ms Rich, questions remain, and she relives that day on repeat – often in violent nightmares.”I’m in my son’s position, when he’s dying on the ground. I don’t have a life any more. Your whole world is gone, broken.”When asked about the possibility of legal action, she almost laughs: “Nothing’s going to happen to the police. It never does.”I don’t think we’ll ever see change, as much as we want it. The whole system sucks.”It’s a view shared by many Indigenous families and advocates, who feel hope is hard to come by. But several experts told the BBC that in the short team, a warranted conviction of a police or prison officer over an Indigenous death in custody could be “groundbreaking”. “It would send a message that police are not immune from the criminal justice system,” Prof Anthony says.She adds that few cases make it to trial and when they do it’s rare for “police not to be believed” by what are usually “non-Indigenous juries”.Australia’s national police union declined to answer questions from the BBC.Ms Nixon says a reckoning won’t come until there’s sustained public outrage over every Indigenous death.”When you’re only 3% of the population, you rely on the other 97% to do the right thing,” she says.”It comes down to human compassion [but] there’s still a blame the victim mentality – as though what happens to us is what we deserve. Maybe future generations will change that narrative.”Related TopicsIndigenous AustraliansNew South WalesQueenslandAustraliaMore on this storyAustralia mother takes custodial death fight to UNPublished10 June 2021Australia’s ‘system is continuing to kill us’Published15 April 2021Top StoriesJeremy Bowen: Obstacles to peace seem larger than everPublished2 hours agoLive. Israelis demand hostage deal six months on from Hamas attacksPM marks six months of Israel-Gaza war as UK sends Navy ship for aidPublished4 hours agoFeaturesThe eclipse’s 4-minute window into the Sun’s secretsThe Papers: ‘Gaza famine’ warning and Corrie ‘budgeting row’Where in the UK can you see Monday’s solar eclipse?7 lessons from my first series of University ChallengeThe singer-songwriters who are pop’s new breakout starsIndigenous deaths in custody haunt AustraliaSix months on, how close is Israel to eliminating Hamas?Path of darkness – scroll every mile of total eclipse’A game of Jenga’: Inside the perilous Baltimore bridge clean-upElsewhere on the BBCGet a job, pay the bills. Sounds simple, right?Fresh, surreal comedy from the mind of Lucia KeskinAttributioniPlayerThis family bonds over Race Across the WorldThese are the the things we love on the BBCAttributioniPlayerOne of the most talented bands to never make it…Why did trailblazers Microdisney fail to achieve the commercial success they deserved?AttributioniPlayerDid you know these scenes were filmed in… Glasgow?!Ali Plumb travels through the city’s silver screen sightsAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Where in the UK can you see Monday’s solar eclipse?2’Gaza famine’ warning and Corrie ‘budgeting row’3Woman dies after stabbing in busy city centre4Hardest Geezer: The man who ran the length of Africa5Post Office bosses earned millions despite scandal6Bowen: Obstacles to peace seem larger than ever7Incinerator opposed by Barclay sees permit delayed8Are you happy to pay more to have your nails done?9Dozens of UK flights cancelled as storm sweeps in10Russia-friendly populist elected Slovak president](https://newsinsightplus.com/wp-content/uploads/https://ichef.bbci.co.uk/news/1024/branded_news/C414/production/_118869105_gettyimages-1261283800-1.jpg)
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BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaIndigenous deaths in custody haunt AustraliaPublished15 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, SuppliedImage caption, Raylene Nixon’s son Steven died after being put in a chokehold by a Queensland police officerBy Hannah RitchieBBC News, Sydney”It’s a pain you can’t describe,” Raylene Nixon says quietly.”It’s something that you feel deeper than a broken heart – it’s pain in your soul.”In 2021, she sat in a sterile room and watched Australian police footage of her son’s death in real time, as he gasped for air and pleaded for help.”Choke him out,” one officer can be heard yelling in the body camera video, before another places Steven Nixon-McKellar in a chokehold. Moments later, the 27-year-old Aboriginal man lost consciousness. Paramedics failed to resuscitate him, as his throat was obstructed by vomit.Mr Nixon-McKellar is one of 562 Indigenous Australians to die in police custody since 1991 – the year a landmark inquiry, intended to turn the tide on the issue, released hundreds of recommendations. But few of those proposals have been implemented, studies suggest, and Indigenous people continue to die at alarming rates in prison cells, police vans, or during arrest. Last year was the most lethal on record, according to government data. Police advocates insist officers are using necessary force when confronted with life-threatening situations, and that each death is thoroughly examined.But critics say there is a “culture of impunity” in which “police are investigating police” in cases alleging excessive force. They point out there has never been a conviction of a police or corrections officer over an Indigenous death in their care. “We’re sending a message to society about what is and isn’t acceptable behaviour,” criminologist Amanda Porter says.”And in Australia at the moment – it’s open season.”‘They only knew the colour of his skin’Mr Nixon-McKellar died during his attempted arrest following an anonymous call to Queensland police suggesting he had been driving a stolen vehicle. The officers involved have defended their use of the neck hold – which is now banned – on the basis that he was “fighting” them at the scene, making it difficult to deploy a taser or pepper spray. Image source, Dhadjowa FoundationImage caption, A coroner’s findings into Steven Nixon-McKellar’s death will soon be releasedBut Ms Nixon questions whether they might have acted differently had her son been white. “The only thing they knew about him was the colour of his skin,” she tells the BBC.The findings from a coroner’s inquiry into his death will soon be made public. His case bears similarities to the death of David Dungay Jr inside a Sydney prison in 2015, a nationally famous incident which has been compared to George Floyd’s death in the US.Like Mr Floyd, Mr Dungay also repeatedly yelled “I can’t breathe” in his final moments. A diabetic, the 26-year-old had been trying to eat a packet of biscuits when six guards entered his cell with a riot shield to restrain him. Five of them pinned him face down on a bed and sedated him. “You’re the one who brought this on yourself Dungay,” one officer can be heard saying in footage of the incident. “If you’re talking you can breathe,” another adds.Corrective Services New South Wales has maintained that the death was not suspicious, and an internal investigation found no criminal negligence. A coroner did find that “agitation as a result of the use of force” was a contributing factor, along with Mr Dungay’s pre-existing health conditions – but declined to send the case to prosecutors.Mr Dungay’s family has run a years-long campaign calling for charges to be laid against the officers involved. It led to a petition with over 110,000 signatures being sent to the NSW Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions. The office did not respond to the BBC’s request for comment. Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Leetona Dungay has been prominent in Australia’s Black Lives Matter movement since her son’s deathThe over-representation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in Australia’s criminal justice system is a key driver of Indigenous deaths in custody.That was one of the central findings of the 1991 inquiry – and it has worsened with time. Today Indigenous people comprise 33% of Australia’s prisoners, though they are just 3.8% of the national population. Socio-economic disadvantage and “over-policing” are central to the disparity, numerous investigations have heard.”There’s a legacy of colonisation in Australia where First Nations people have always been disproportionately segregated and controlled,” says Thalia Anthony, a law professor at the University of Technology Sydney. She and others argue this has injected racist stereotypes into policing, leading to Indigenous Australians being treated as “deviant, drug addicted, or alcoholics” and paid undue attention. Reviews are currently under way in Queensland and the Northern Territory to address allegations of widespread racism within both forces. Western Australia Police has introduced strategies to address institutional racism, and Victoria Police’s chief commissioner recently offered an unreserved apology to Aboriginal families for “undetected, unchecked and unpunished” systemic discrimination. Federal and state governments have introduced some services aimed at lowering Indigenous incarceration rates. Most recently, Canberra committed to funding community-led programmes designed to tackle the root causes of offending and disadvantage.”Too many Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are being robbed of their futures by a system that has let them down,” Indigenous Affairs Minister Linda Burney told the BBC.Experts have welcomed such initiatives, but many also call for broad reforms to bail conditions and the decriminalisation of minor offences which they say stem from issues such as homelessness.Ms Burney said that state governments, which oversee local laws and policing, hold “most of the levers”.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Protests have decried the deaths of Indigenous Australians in custodyAnd voter sentiment is one reason why states are often creating “new offences, increasing sentences and building more jails” despite falling crime rates, explains Prof Luke McNamara from the University of New South Wales.He describes the conflict between the two approaches as “an unresolved paradox” playing out in real-time. ‘No-one gets justice’ David Dungay Jr’s mother, Leetona, has now taken his case to the United Nations, filing a motion against state and federal governments for violating her son’s right to life. It will be decided in the coming weeks.She hopes it will force Australia to confront its record on Indigenous deaths in custody and fix “systemic failures”.”I want to get justice for David,” Ms Dungay tells the BBC. “It was murder. No-one attempted to help my son.”But if you ask Corina Rich, “no-one gets justice”. Her son Brandon died after a prolonged struggle with police at his grandmother’s property in rural New South Wales in 2021.Two officers had been called to respond to a domestic dispute. Their attempts to arrest Mr Rich ultimately resulted in him being stripped of his clothes, pepper sprayed, and pinned down.When he lost consciousness, police say they immediately tried to resuscitate him and failed. But they didn’t wear body cameras – despite it being policy – meaning the details of the 29-year-old’s final moments rely almost solely on the officers’ testimony.NSW Police said that “remedial action” was taken against both for the camera violation. Last month, a coroner found Mr Rich had died of physical exertion and stress, but that it was not possible to determine whether the use of force applied by police was a contributing factor.Image source, Supplied: Corina RichImage caption, Brandon Rich, pictured with his nephew, died after a prolonged struggle with two police officersFor Ms Rich, questions remain, and she relives that day on repeat – often in violent nightmares.”I’m in my son’s position, when he’s dying on the ground. I don’t have a life any more. Your whole world is gone, broken.”When asked about the possibility of legal action, she almost laughs: “Nothing’s going to happen to the police. It never does.”I don’t think we’ll ever see change, as much as we want it. The whole system sucks.”It’s a view shared by many Indigenous families and advocates, who feel hope is hard to come by. But several experts told the BBC that in the short team, a warranted conviction of a police or prison officer over an Indigenous death in custody could be “groundbreaking”. “It would send a message that police are not immune from the criminal justice system,” Prof Anthony says.She adds that few cases make it to trial and when they do it’s rare for “police not to be believed” by what are usually “non-Indigenous juries”.Australia’s national police union declined to answer questions from the BBC.Ms Nixon says a reckoning won’t come until there’s sustained public outrage over every Indigenous death.”When you’re only 3% of the population, you rely on the other 97% to do the right thing,” she says.”It comes down to human compassion [but] there’s still a blame the victim mentality – as though what happens to us is what we deserve. Maybe future generations will change that narrative.”Related TopicsIndigenous AustraliansNew South WalesQueenslandAustraliaMore on this storyAustralia mother takes custodial death fight to UNPublished10 June 2021Australia’s ‘system is continuing to kill us’Published15 April 2021Top StoriesJeremy Bowen: Obstacles to peace seem larger than everPublished2 hours agoLive. Israelis demand hostage deal six months on from Hamas attacksPM marks six months of Israel-Gaza war as UK sends Navy ship for aidPublished4 hours agoFeaturesThe eclipse’s 4-minute window into the Sun’s secretsThe Papers: ‘Gaza famine’ warning and Corrie ‘budgeting row’Where in the UK can you see Monday’s solar eclipse?7 lessons from my first series of University ChallengeThe singer-songwriters who are pop’s new breakout starsIndigenous deaths in custody haunt AustraliaSix months on, how close is Israel to eliminating Hamas?Path of darkness – scroll every mile of total eclipse’A game of Jenga’: Inside the perilous Baltimore bridge clean-upElsewhere on the BBCGet a job, pay the bills. Sounds simple, right?Fresh, surreal comedy from the mind of Lucia KeskinAttributioniPlayerThis family bonds over Race Across the WorldThese are the the things we love on the BBCAttributioniPlayerOne of the most talented bands to never make it…Why did trailblazers Microdisney fail to achieve the commercial success they deserved?AttributioniPlayerDid you know these scenes were filmed in… Glasgow?!Ali Plumb travels through the city’s silver screen sightsAttributioniPlayerMost Read1Where in the UK can you see Monday’s solar eclipse?2’Gaza famine’ warning and Corrie ‘budgeting row’3Woman dies after stabbing in busy city centre4Hardest Geezer: The man who ran the length of Africa5Post Office bosses earned millions despite scandal6Bowen: Obstacles to peace seem larger than ever7Incinerator opposed by Barclay sees permit delayed8Are you happy to pay more to have your nails done?9Dozens of UK flights cancelled as storm sweeps in10Russia-friendly populist elected Slovak president
[ad_1] Last year saw the most Indigenous people on record die in police custody – and families want answers.
![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityAsiaChinaIndiaK-pop: How jealous ‘super fans’ try to dictate their idols’ private livesPublished6 hours agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Karina (second from left) is the frontwoman of K-pop girl group aespaBy Jake Kwon & Kelly Ngin Seoul and SingaporeWhen K-pop star Karina posted a handwritten apology on Instagram earlier in March, it was both contrite and profuse.”I sincerely apologise for surprising my fans who have supported me,” the frontwoman of the girl group aespa wrote.Her offence? Publicly acknowledging that she was in a relationship with actor Lee Jae-wook. That Karina felt compelled to say sorry for being in a relationship has puzzled many outside the K-pop scene, but it opens a window into the world of the industry’s “super fans”. They stream their favourite stars’ music round the clock – even if on mute while sleeping – to boost chart rankings, organise mass voting sessions during award seasons, and sometimes even sponsor digital billboard ads in places like Times Square, New York. Paying the price of loveWhen news of Karina’s relationship broke, some fans drove a truck to her management agency.”We supported Karina’s bright future, believing in a shared dream, but it was our misconception,” blared an electronic billboard on the vehicle.”Is the love given to you by your fans not enough?” another read. Blackpink’s Jisoo is dating. The K-pop world is stunnedThe dark side of Asia’s pop music industryThis stands in contrast to how celebrities’ romantic lives are often publicised, and sometimes celebrated, in other parts of the world.Take Taylor Swift, for example, whose attendance at last month’s Super Bowl to watch her boyfriend Travis Kelce is said to have singlehandedly boosted TV viewership of the game, making it the most-watched broadcast in the US since the 1969 Moon landing.Polls say one in five Super Bowl viewers were rooting for the Kansas City Chiefs – which eventually won the annual league – because of the pop star’s relationship with Kelce.So why are the attitudes different in K-pop?’A false intimacy'”The fans feel jilted,” said Korean media columnist Jeong Deok-hyeon, adding that K-pop fans often view themselves as being in parasocial relationships with the idols. These refer to one-sided relationships where one party expends an overt amount of time, emotional energy and money on another whom they are fascinated with, but who may not know they exist.”As the industry increasingly encourages fans to express their fandom through consumerism, their desire to be ‘compensated’ [for their investments] grows. This contributed to fans making demands which sometimes border on threats,” Mr Jeong told the BBC.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, K-pop star Karina has apologised to her fans after news of her dating actor Lee Jae-wook went publicSome believe the artistes themselves and their management agencies have facilitated a “false intimacy” between idols and fans. Even as recently as 10 years ago, it was common practice for K-pop agencies to ban new stars from dating or even have a personal mobile phone.Agencies have also begun creating social apps for their artists which appear to offer fans a glimpse of their idols’ everyday lives. SM, the K-pop-producing powerhouse behind groups like aespa, introduced an app in 2020 designed to look like a one-on-one messenger app, but is in fact a group chat where the idol drops messages for thousands of fans at once.Some stars have also bought gifts for fans or offered them one-on-one calls.”K-pop agencies have been telling fans that they have the power to create stars,” said Areum Jeong, who lectures on Korean culture at Arizona State University.Cedarbough Saeji from Pusan National University called the Karina incident “a classic case of the fans trying to ‘discipline’ the stars”. “They were angry about the dating, and then they got angry that she apologised in the ‘wrong way’,” said Saeji, an assistant professor in Korean and East Asian Studies, referring to how some fans felt Karina should have posted her apology in a fans-only forum – rather than on a public platform.”In 2024, privacy for K-pop stars, who live in this tiny country and are so widely recognized, is virtually impossible,” she said.Ms Jeong, who considers herself a dedicated K-pop fan, also takes part in “fan labour” by streaming the music of her favourite boyband NCT 127 and paying to vote for them on music platforms and award shows. There are a dozen different digital music platforms for K-pop, each with its own Top 100 chart based on the number of people streaming and downloading songs. Super fans divide and conquer by organising themselves into teams to navigate the rules for each platform. “Fans put in labour to ensure the group’s success. They consider the idol a product. And if you want to see the product on the stage for a long time, the artistes, the fans, and the management will all have to put in hard work,” Ms Jeong said. Some even share voting schedules and streaming guides with “regular fans”, she added, so they can contribute to propelling their idols to the top of the charts.The BBC browsed a “streaming guide” written up by fans of the boyband Seventeen, which includes reminders such as, “Watch two or three other Seventeen music videos that totals to at least seven to 10 minutes. Then repeat the process”, and “Do not pause, forward or rewind”.Large fan groups organise themselves so that different members take on different roles. ARMY, the millions-strong fan group for the world’s biggest boyband BTS, has taken on philanthropic projects on behalf of the band, and also operate X accounts that translate all BTS-related content, from song lyrics to members’ social media posts.Image source, Getty Images”The superfans fundraise, they campaign to vote… Some police comments online to make sure negative comments about their idols are reported and conduct coordinated searches to remove ‘bad’ search terms.”That’s all money and time. The industry profits off of it,” Ms Jeong said.Another hallmark of K-pop fandom are the birthday celebrations held for the idols who themselves are not present. Some fans rent out entire cafes for such events, which will also feature merchandise related to the idol.Changing attitudesK-pop columnist Jeff Benjamin said some idols may feel “obliged to keep their fans happy” because of the fragility of their careers. “The groups are typically quite short-lived at about four to five years… I think a big part of why Karina published her apology was because she has a leadership responsibility in aespa, and she wanted to assure her fans that she will continue to work hard with her music,” he said.”It’s ironic that these artists sing about love but dating is frowned upon. I feel for them,” he added.But as K-pop widens its global footprint, attitudes in the industry could be opening up too.Image source, Getty ImagesImage caption, BTS was invited to speak at the annual UN General Assembly in September 2021Many of Karina’s international fans took to social media to express their outrage that she had been compelled to apologise. “She doesn’t deserve this type of treatment” read one comment on X (formerly Twitter), while another said “Karina apologising for LIKING someone has to be one the craziest things in the world”.Some Korean fans also pointed to the international coverage of her apology, saying it was embarrassing. “It’s been so long since K-pop became global but they still don’t seem to grasp the fact that when something like this happens, it immediately disgraces the country” one person wrote. The global K-pop events market was valued at $8.1bn in 2021 and is projected to reach $20bn by 2031, according to Allied Market Research. Groups have also been invited to perform at international events. Seventeen, for example, will become the first K-pop group to perform at the Glastonbury Festival this year. BTS, who have been named special envoys by the UN, was invited to perform at its New York headquarters in 2021. K-pop albums raked in a record $243.8m overseas from January to October last year. Japan, the United States and China were the top three buyers.”Things are changing as the number of international K-pop fans grows. I am hopeful that the fan bases will become more supportive and open-minded… And that the industry can be less dependent on traditional norms,” Mr Benjamin said.The K-pop girl group with no Korean membersThe world’s most controversial K-pop bandSome of Karina’s fans in South Korea have continued to vouch for her.”There was nothing to apologise for…Whether you are a celebrity or a regular person, you need close friends. It’s natural for her to have a lover,” said Jeong So-yeon, a 33-year-old fan based in Seoul. “Other top stars do fine even after dating ‘scandals’. I look forward to her next albums,” she said.Related TopicsAsiaK-popSouth KoreaMusicMore on this storyBTS go into the army – what now for K-pop’s kings?Published12 December 2023Blackpink renew contract ensuring group’s futurePublished6 December 2023The K-pop girl group with no Korean membersPublished27 August 2023Blackpink star addresses ‘low energy’ performancesPublished14 July 2023The woman who defied the world of K-popPublished18 October 2019The dark side of Asia’s pop music industryPublished26 January 2016Top StoriesWilliam and Kate ‘enormously touched’ by public supportPublished1 hour agoFour suspected gunmen arrested after 133 killed in Moscow attackPublished6 hours agoBBC Verify examines how Moscow attack unfolded. VideoBBC Verify examines how Moscow attack unfoldedPublished11 hours agoFeaturesThe Papers: Kate ‘reassures nation’ and ‘murderous’ Moscow attackThe Brazilian teen who scored winner against EnglandAttributionSportBBC Verify examines how the Moscow attack unfolded. 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![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaDefeat to Donald Trump looms over Nikki Haley. So why stay in the race?Published11 minutes agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRelated TopicsUS election 2024Image source, Getty ImagesBy Holly Honderichin Columbia, South CarolinaRepublican presidential candidate Nikki Haley is staring down another resounding loss to Donald Trump, this time in her home state of South Carolina. But Ms Haley has vowed not to quit, raising speculation about the ambitions of her long shot campaign. Three days before the state primary, a crowd of Republican voters in Augusta, South Carolina, packed shoulder-to-shoulder in to the sunny top floor of a municipal building for a Nikki Haley campaign event. As the state’s former governor, Ms Haley gave the gathering an assured and newly combative stump speech. She made frequent and pointed jabs at her rival and the Republican frontrunner, former President Donald Trump – a tactic she had long avoided. “He was literally unhinged,” she said at one point, remarking on his victory speech after the New Hampshire primary. “He’s obsessed with himself,” she added later.In this room at least, Ms Haley’s pitch and criticism of the former president were landing. Her jokes received loud laughs, the applause breaks were long, and at least a dozen voters in attendance told the BBC they were all in on Ms Haley. “She’s got an outstanding record,” said supporter Holt Moran. “She’s just the perfect person.”But again and again, when asked if Ms Haley had a chance of winning the primary – or even another Republican contest down the line – each voter seemed to wince before saying no. “Unfortunately not,” Mr Moran said. Despite her publicly sunny outlook, the packed events, and beaming crowds, it will be nearly impossible for Ms Haley to find a path to the nomination. She has lost every contest to Mr Trump so far, and is likely to do so again on Saturday, this time in her home state. This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: How has Haley’s tone on Trump changed?Polls show the former UN ambassador is trailing by nearly 30 points in South Carolina and her odds are even worse in votes to come. Barring a dramatic and unforeseen twist, Mr Trump will – for the third time in a row – be his party’s nominee. But Ms Haley has so far shown no signs of quitting.So is Ms Haley’s enduring campaign a quixotic exercise or – as she says – a principled stand against Mr Trump? Or is she perhaps playing a longer game and laying the groundwork for future political ambitions?’I refuse to quit’With pundits and commentators – and her own party leadership – claiming she is wasting Republicans’ time and money, Ms Haley has struggled to defend her resolve. In Greenville this week, in what her campaign had billed as a “state of the race address,” Ms Haley gave a 26-minute speech devoted entirely to why she still sought the Republican nomination.”I refuse to quit,” she said. “South Carolina will vote on Saturday. But on Sunday, I’ll still be running for president.” There, and in most public appearances since, Ms Haley has cast her enduring campaign as an act of principle, a decision meant to give Republicans an alternative to Mr Trump or President Joe Biden – who she contends are “are the most disliked politicians in America”.”There are 70% of Americans who don’t want another Biden-Trump rematch and 60% of Americans who think Biden and Trump are both too old,” one of Ms Haley’s spokeswomen, Olivia Perez-Cubas said. “They [voters] deserve a better choice.” Image source, Getty ImagesFriends and allies of Ms Haley have insisted that her public remarks are sincere, and that she is focused solely on this year’s Republican nomination. “When you talk to her in private, she says I’m sticking with this,” said Jenny Sanford-McKay, South Carolina’s former first lady and Ms Haley’s friend. “The opportunity for her is now.” Some contend Ms Haley is continuing as a candidate in case Mr Trump, who faces numerous criminal and civil legal challenges, suddenly had to bow out of the race.But Republican strategists have also raised another theory: perhaps Ms Haley is looking four years ahead, with an eye toward the next presidential election in 2028.If that is the plan, Ms Haley’s current campaign would provide her a significant head start, functioning as a nationwide rehearsal for her messaging and fundraising. Even as she trails Mr Trump, Ms Haley has assembled teams in at least a dozen states and planned a seven-figure ad buy ahead of Super Tuesday on 5 March, when Republicans in 16 states will vote. “People will remember her, and that she was a solid candidate,” Ron Bonjean, a political strategist, said.The road aheadDeep-pocketed donors are helping her ongoing efforts by pouring millions of dollars into her campaign, with several saying publicly they see her as a competent counter to Mr Trump’s chaos. In January alone, campaign officials said Ms Haley raised $16.5m (£13m) – her largest monthly total. That money seems to correlate with the energy on the ground. Almost in spite of the steady drum beat of bad polling, on the campaign trial this week Ms Haley appeared relaxed and upbeat, drawing out her tightly-rehearsed stump speeches with new riffs, laughing at her own jokes. The voters in attendance seemed energised too, both about Ms Haley and about leaving Mr Trump behind.”She’s a real path forward,” supporter David Hood said at a campaign event in Georgetown on Thursday. “Trump is an embarrassment.” More on the US electionExplained: A simple guide to the US 2024 electionAnalysis: Where Biden v Trump will be won and lostPolicies: What a Trump second term would look likeEconomy: Voters feel better – will that help Biden?Recap: The Trump story to dateAnother voter, Tim Ferguson said he would be proud to cast his ballot for Ms Haley, after twice voting for Mr Trump. “I’ve always said, after I vote for him I go home and take a shower – I don’t feel right,” he said. But just outside the bubble of Ms Haley’s campaign and her future prospects is the reality of the current Republican Party, with a base still very much devoted to Mr Trump. And, despite sending Ms Haley to the statehouse and then to the governor’s mansion two times over, South Carolina is proving no different. In Lexington County, where Ms Haley lived with her young family when she launched her political career, residents mostly shrugged when asked about their former neighbour’s campaign for president. “I don’t care where somebody’s from,” said Gregg Moore, who owns an antique store in downtown Lexington. “Mr Trump is from New York and Florida. I’m not from New York and Florida, but he has what this country needs and therefore I’m voting for him.” Image source, Getty ImagesMr Moore, like other Lexington County voters who spoke to the BBC, was not particularly critical of Ms Haley. Most said simply she could not compete with the former president, who they believed had proved his mettle in the White House. And it is not just South Carolina’s voters who are lining up behind Mr Trump. The state’s Republican lawmakers and leadership have as well.”We all know it’s Trump’s party at this point, right?” South Carolina Republican strategist and Trump critic Chip Felkel said. That may be true. But for now, as long as there’s money left to spend, Ms Haley can simply carry on. After all, he said, “what has she got to lose?” Related TopicsRepublican PartyNikki HaleyUS election 2024United StatesMore on this storyAlabama IVF row an election-year political bombshellPublished23 hours agoCan Nikki Haley really stop Donald Trump?Published12 JanuaryNikki Haley won’t quit despite trailing in home statePublished3 days agoTop StoriesTwo years into Russia’s invasion, exhausted Ukrainians refuse to give upPublished5 hours agoLive. 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![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaAfcon: Ivory Coast football fans flock to see Abidjan victory paradePublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Ian Williams/ BBCImage caption, Fans dance in the street as they celebrate the Elephants’ third Afcon winBy Ian Williams & Ameer AhmedBBC News, AbidjanThousands of football fans wearing orange and white have flooded the streets of Abidjan to see the Ivory Coast team parade the Africa Cup of Nations trophy they won on Sunday.The hosts defeated Nigeria 2-1 to win Afcon for a third time, prompting huge celebrations across the country.Cecilia, who was born in Ivory Coast but now lives in the US, told the BBC she had travelled home for the final.”That’s the best decision of my life,” she said.Image source, Ameer Ahmed/ BBCImage caption, A football fan awaits the arrival of the national team in AbidjanIvory Coast were unlikely winners. They lost two group games and fired their manager mid-tournament. Emerse Fae, a youth-team manager, took over for his first job leading a senior team. Four games later, he was lifting a trophy. Juliette Youan told the BBC: “Emerse Fae is a hero of Ivory Coast.””We are so proud to celebrate our hero. Vive Emerse! Emerse is the best coach,” she added. Ms Youan and her friends made special T-shirts to commemorate Fae for leading the country to victory.Image source, Ian Williams/ BBCImage caption, Footballs fans made T-shirts to celebrate coach Emerse FaeThe parade began at Hôtel Palmier and the crowd built slowly from around midday, becoming more boisterous as the parade’s scheduled start time approached.As numbers grew, so did the noise, with horns blaring and chants breaking out, accompanied by dancing. At around 15:00 GMT, the first players suddenly appeared on the flatbed truck that would take them on their journey through Abidjan to the over 30,0000 capacity Félix Houphouët Boigny stadium for a trophy presentation.The banners on the truck announced the Elephants as “Champions of Africa 2023″ and featured three stars, a nod to the fact that the team has now won this competition on three occasions.Their underdog story resonated throughout the streets as people danced, rejoicing in their amazing comeback.”It’s amazing. The first part of the tournament was very difficult but afterwards the players played very well and today we are very happy. Today we have to do some parties, it’s obligatory,” said Kwaku, another fan at the parade.Image source, Ian Williams/ BBCImage caption, Ivory Coast players celebrating their victoryLooking relaxed in short-sleeved training tops, sunglasses, baseball caps and with gold medals around their necks, the players smiled out at the adoring crowds, leaning against the barrier, taking selfies and waving the Ivorian flag. At one point, captain Serge Aurier even helped lift a young fan onto the truck for a photo before handing him back to his waiting father.Image source, AFPImage caption, Ivory Coast won Afcon for a third timeIvory Coast’s tale of triumph was made even better as the goal that clinched the trophy for the team was scored by Sébastien Haller, who had been diagnosed with testicular cancer a few months ago.”We hoped to get to this point and once again the match wasn’t an easy one. The joyous scenes we see now, what’s happening in the country, they deserve it too. I really hope it does a lot of people good,” said Haller.”We are very, very proud of our three stars on our jersey. We [the Ivorian people] have passed through many, many things, and today we are happy, we get together,” one fan told the BBC.Given the reaction, it is clear members of this victorious squad will be viewed as national heroes for years to come.Fans around the world are already dubbing Ivory Coast’s win one of the greatest turnaround in football tournament history.More on the Africa Cup of Nations:Haller caps return from cancer with Afcon trophyHow Nigerians console themselves after Afcon heartbreakListen to the World Football at Afcon podcastAround the BBCFocus on Africa podcastTop StoriesPalestinians sheltering in Rafah fear Israeli offensivePublished1 hour agoLabour withdraws support for Rochdale candidatePublished4 minutes agoIsrael to act on soldier misconduct after BBC investigationPublished3 hours agoFeaturesWhat we know about Israel’s Rafah hostage rescue raidInside Ukraine’s struggle to find new men to fightHow Vogue kept its cover shoot of 40 famous stars secretUsher shines at Super Bowl half-time showDeadpool and Wicked trailers air in Super Bowl adsWatch: Kelce and Swift celebrate at Super Bowl. 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![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaSenegal election crisis: ‘We feel betrayed by President Macky Sall’Published1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingImage source, Getty ImagesBy Nicolas NégoceBBC News, DakarSenegal appears to be having an identity crisis – its citizens are proud of the fact that it is considered one of West Africa’s most stable democracies, and many are outraged that this reputation is now on the line.”We feel betrayed by Macky Sall,” say a group of imams meeting in a mosque in the capital, Dakar, about the political crisis that hit the country a week ago when MPs backed President Sall’s decision to delay this month’s presidential election until December.”The president must review this. It’s unacceptable,” explains Ismael Ndiaye, the general secretary of Senegal’s League of Imams.”It never happened before. Senegal never had a presidential election delayed. We feel betrayed. We feel misunderstood.”Islam is the predominant religion in Senegal – and comments such as these from influential Muslim leaders, who have mediated to resolve previous political crises, carry huge weight.Their blunt words reflect the wave of anger gripping the country as protesters take to the streets.Image source, AFPImage caption, Protesters run past a mosque in Dakar as tear gas is fired by the security forcesPresident Sall has justified his move, saying time is needed to resolve a dispute over who is eligible to stand as a presidential candidate after several opposition contenders were barred.But those on the streets see the postponement as a way for Mr Sall to cling on to power beyond the end of his second term on 2 April.In his first interview since the announcement, President Sall denied that was his intention.”I am absolutely seeking for nothing except to leave a country in peace and stability,” he told the Associated Press over the weekend.”I don’t want to leave behind a country that will immediately plunge into major difficulties.”These words ring hollow to his critics given his stance before his election in 2012, when he strongly objected to then-President Abdoulaye Wade seeking a third term.”A president cannot extend his term of office. It’s not possible,” Mr Sall, who once served as Mr Wade’s prime minister, said during the 2011 election campaign.”He can’t extend his term by even one day, otherwise the country will be plunged into chaos because the people would not recognise his legitimacy and there would no longer be authority in the country.”This video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, Watch: The president who vowed to play by the rules but isn’tThere have been violent protests across Senegal over the past week, reportedly leaving three people dead.One of them was a geography undergraduate who died in clashes with police on a university campus in the northern city of Saint-Louis.In Dakar, debris remains strewn across the streets after stand-offs with the security forces, who fired tear gas to disperse protesters.Many of the four million inhabitants of the city are upset by the turn of events.We met Fanta Diallo as she ventured out to buy provisions for what seem like uncertain times ahead.”I am hurt and ashamed,” she told the BBC. Scared of further violence, she wants civil society to call a “dead city” general strike to show their anger against parliament’s backing of the vote delay.”This is not normal. We are not in a monarchy. I came to town today so I could buy everything I need.”Adamadou Bayeshare, who was out in central Dakar on Saturday with his friend Aminata Issete, agreed.”We need to demonstrate peacefully for what we believe is right, but we absolutely need to do something. I am personally very, very upset,” he told the BBC.Ms Issete was a little shy about being interviewed at first and then became very animated.”We are exhausted, we are upset and deeply disappointed. What is wrong with our country? What is wrong with that man?” she asked about the 62-year-old president.”Why this disrespect towards Senegal’s own citizens? We don’t deserve this. We want to vote for a new president,” she said.Image source, AFPImage caption, More than 60% of Senegal’s population is under the age of 25Defeated, disappointed, upset. Those are the recurrent words on the streets, echoed on social media where videos and pictures are circulating showing alleged police brutality from the protests.These young people are those who voice frustration over a lack of jobs in the country, and who form the backbone of support for Ousmane Sonko, a popular opposition leader who has been excluded from the presidential race because of a defamation conviction. He has faced many legal battles in recent years and has been jailed in a separate case for calling for insurrection, conspiracy with terrorist groups and endangering state security. This was in July, when his party was also banned. The 49-year-old maintains all the charges are politically motivated. Even with the election delayed until 15 December, there is little chance he will be allowed to stand – but anyone he backs might have a chance of winning.It is his stance on the economy that has particularly worried Senegal’s elite – but has won him a huge amount of support. He criticises the country’s close relationship with France, the former colonial power.The former tax collector wants a withdrawal from the CFA franc – the regional currency used by 14 African countries, which is pegged to the euro under a French government guarantee. Critics fear such a move would spell economic disaster.The next nine months may give the weak ruling coalition a chance to bolster its chances in the election and perhaps consider a stronger candidate in place of Mr Sall’s chosen successor, Prime Minister Amadou Ba, who is felt by some to lack charisma.The postponement may also work in favour of another opposition leader Karim Wade, son of the former president, who was disqualified as he had not renounced his French citizenship in time – electoral laws do not allow dual nationality.Image caption, It is hard to see how a solution will be found that can calm tensionGovernment spokesperson Abdou Karim Fofana reiterated that President Sall would not risk his credibility for just a few more months in power.”When you’re a leader, you often have to take unpopular and sometimes misunderstood decisions,” he told the BBC. “It’s not a pleasure for [President Macky Sall] to do so. He did this to preserve his country as he is mature and responsible.” With Mr Sonko’s level of support and the feeling that the judiciary has been used to exclude him from the race, it is hard to see how a solution will be found that can really resolve the crisis.Law expert El-Hadji Omar Diop says another scenario could play out.”President Sall may decide to step down the day after 2 April. In this case, the National Assembly president would assume power and call a new election within two to three months,” the university lecturer said.More demonstrations are planned for Tuesday, though they have not yet been authorised by the authorities.Mamadou Faye, a father of three, hopes this will get their message across without any need for “dead city” strikes as he says he cannot afford not to work.”No-one is going to help me. We are tired of all of this. We just want to be able to feed our family.”More on Senegal’s crisis:Why West Africa’s united front is in tattersSenegal on the brink after elections postponed Senegal’s Ousmane Sonko – youth hero or rabble-rouser?Related TopicsSenegalAround the BBCFocus on Africa podcastsTop StoriesLive. Israeli strikes kill dozens in Rafah as raid rescues two hostagesIsrael says rescued hostages ‘in good condition’Published1 hour agoMarathon world record holder Kelvin Kiptum dies in Kenya crashPublished32 minutes agoFeaturesUsher shines at Super Bowl half-time showBeyoncé announces new album during Super Bowl breakNever a doubt in my mind – Kelce on star quarterback Mahomes. VideoNever a doubt in my mind – Kelce on star quarterback MahomesAttributionSportWhat now in Pakistan after Khan vote surprise?Jeremy Bowen: Is Rafah the new battleground? 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![BBC HomepageSkip to contentAccessibility HelpYour accountLiveNotificationsHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeMore menuMore menuSearch BBCHomeNewsSportWeatheriPlayerSoundsBitesizeCBBCCBeebiesFoodClose menuBBC NewsMenuHomeIsrael-Gaza warCost of LivingWar in UkraineClimateUKWorldBusinessPoliticsCultureMoreTechScienceHealthFamily & EducationIn PicturesNewsbeatBBC VerifyDisabilityWorldAfricaAsiaAustraliaEuropeLatin AmericaMiddle EastUS & CanadaSenegal on the brink after elections postponedPublished1 hour agoShareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingThis video can not be playedTo play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser.Media caption, ‘We deserve freedom’: Delayed election sparks protests, arrests in SenegalBy Yusuf AkinpeluBBC News, LagosSenegal’s reputation as a bastion of democracy in an unstable region is on the line as protesters clash with police outside the National Assembly.Inside, lawmakers have passed a contentious bill to extend President Macky Sall’s tenure and delay elections after he called off a planned election with just three weeks to go.Khalifa Sall, a leading opponent and a former mayor of Dakar, who is not related to the president, called the delay a “constitutional coup” and urged people to protest against it. His political coalition has vowed to go to court.Thierno Alassane Sall, another candidate, also no relation, called it “high treason” and urged his supporters to gather in front of the National Assembly to protest and “remind MPs to stand on the right side of history”.The proposal needed the support of three-fifths (i.e. 99) of the 165 deputies to pass. The ruling Benno Bokk Yakaar coalition, of which President Sall’s Alliance for the Republic party is part, has a slight majority in parliament.There was a heated atmosphere in the chamber, and it was reported that some opposition MPs had been removed by security forces after they tried to block proceedings.In the end 105 MPs voted for the proposal. A six-month postponement was originally proposed, but a last-minute amendment extended it to 10 months, or 15 December.Mr Sall reiterated that he was not planning to run for office again. But his critics accuse him of either trying to cling on to power or unfairly influencing whoever succeeds him. No sooner had he announced the unprecedented postponement than protesters marched across the capital, Dakar, to call for a reversal. Image source, ReutersImage caption, President Sall has delayed the general elections in Senegal by six monthsSenegal has long been seen as one of the most stable democracies in West Africa. It is the only country in mainland West Africa that has never had a military coup. It has had three largely peaceful handovers of power and never delayed a presidential election. Until now.In 2017, Senegalese troops led the West African mission sent to neighbouring The Gambia to force out long-time ruler Yahya Jammeh after he refused to accept he had lost an election. And in a region beset by coups, President Sall has been a key actor in the push by the Economic Community of West African States (Ecowas) to force military leaders to conduct elections and hand over power to civilians. But Senegal’s democratic credentials now hang in the balance, and a constitutional crisis is brewing. The country faces a critical test of its electoral integrity and judicial independence, analysts say.Tensions have been rising for more than two years following what the opposition say was a deliberate attempt to exclude them from the election by having their candidates charged with crimes they had not committed. One major opposition party was even banned.The authorities have denied using the legal system for political gain and President Sall said he was trying to calm things down by delaying the vote but this does not appear to have worked so far.”The decision has thrown Senegal into uncharted waters of a constitutional crisis,” Mucahid Durmaz, senior West Africa analyst at risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft, tells the BBC.”The constitution requires elections to be organised at least 30 days before the end of the incumbent president’s mandate. Sall’s rule expires on 2 April. And the decree detailing the electoral calendar must be released 80 days before the vote takes place. Even if he appoints a transitional president after 2 April, the legality of it will be disputed.”Authorities restricted access to mobile internet services on Monday to prevent what they called “hateful and subversive messages” from spreading online and posing a threat to public order – in other words to make it harder for protesters to organise.Image source, ReutersImage caption, Protests erupted across Senegal over the weekendSome residents tell the BBC they have been using wifi and Virtual Private Networks (VPN’s) to bypass the curbs but not everyone is able to do this.The opposition has condemned the shutdown of the signal of private television channel Walf TV for “incitement to violence” over its coverage of the demonstrations.Two opposition politicians, including former Prime Minister Aminata Touré, once a close ally of President Sall but now one of his harshest critics, were both briefly detained following the protests.Critics fear that this clampdown could plunge the country into further political turmoil which, by extension, could be dangerous for the whole West African region.Satisfaction with democracy in Senegal has declined sharply under Mr Sall. In 2013 Afrobarometer, a pollster, found that after Mr Sall had taken office, more than two-thirds of Senegalese people were fairly or very satisfied with democracy. By 2022 less than half were.However, Durmaz says he does not foresee the possibility of a military coup because Senegal has a “diverse range of political parties, a robust civil society and influential religious leaders who step in to mediate political disputes between the politicians”.Twenty candidates had made the final list to contest the elections, but several more were excluded by the Constitutional Council, the judicial body that determines whether candidates have met the conditions required to run. Prominent among them were firebrand opposition leader Ousmane Sonko barred because of a libel conviction, and Karim Wade, the son of a former president, who was accused of having French nationality. They both say the cases against them are politically motivated.Despite the delay, it is unlikely Mr Sonko will be able to participate in the election, as his party has already replaced him with Bassirou Faye who is also in jail but remains eligible to run, Mr Durmaz says. Mr Sonko has shown that he is able to mobilise his supporters on to the streets and so while he remains barred, tensions are likely to stay high.His banned Pastef party has vowed to push back against the delay, calling it a “serious threat to our democracy” and “contempt for the will of the people”.This is not the first time leading opposition candidates have been barred from running in presidential elections. Both Karim Wade and Khalifa Sall were jailed for corruption in 2015 and 2018 respectively, and barred from running in 2019.This time, allegations of judicial corruption involving the Constitutional Council, brought by Karim Wade’s party, prompted a parliamentary inquiry.President Sall justified the election delay by saying time was needed to resolve the dispute that ensued between the Council and some members of parliament.Despite the widespread anger over the delay, Mr Wade’s Senegalese Democratic Party (PDS) has backed it, and if its MPs vote with the government, the bill could pass.But Wole Ojewale, Dakar-based regional co-ordinator for Central Africa at the Institute for Security Studies, says the delay is not justified.”The president is not in charge of the electoral process, and to the extent to which the electoral umpire has not raised doubts about their capacity to undertake the election. I don’t think anything should derail the political process.”Mr Sall’s critics suggest he may have feared his chosen successor, Prime Minister Amadou Ba, was in danger of losing the election.”His [President Sall’s] party is losing momentum. There are indications that they probably want to see how they can rejig, or probably replace their candidate,” Ojewale says.He says there is still a window to conduct the election as scheduled. Otherwise, the country may be plunged into widespread unrest, becoming a police state where civil liberties are eroded, a view Durmaz shares.Ecowas and the African Union have called for dialogue. France, the US and the EU have all called for an election as soon as possible. However, Durmaz says President Sall’s international image would minimise any external pressure on him.”I do not expect a firm push by Ecowas to reverse the postponement of the election in Senegal,” he says, noting that the credibility of regional organisations such as Ecowas and the AU “has been significantly tarnished due to their inability to confront the democratic deficit in civilian-run countries”.All eyes will now be on the regional blocs to see how they treat yet another democratic headache in West Africa.You may also be interested in:Ousmane Sonko – youth hero or rabble-rouser?Why young Africans are celebrating military takeoversWhy coups don’t spell democracy’s end in AfricaWhy does France have military bases in Africa?Related TopicsSenegalMore on this storyElection delay sparks protests, arrests in Senegal. 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