Protest has always been a powerful tool for creating change, and public spaces provide a platform for social engagement in societies. As part of the International Day of Democracy, we examine Africa, its series of emerging protests in the past year, and how citizens in various countries question political justice, demand better living standards from their government, and interrogate their nation’s sovereignty. With demonstrations ranging from organized large-scale marches to smaller spontaneous outbursts, residents of these countries have explored public spaces in symbolic and significant ways to amplify their voices. These spaces include public squares with cultural and historical meaning, sites of political buildings, or makeshift protest areas such as roads and open areas. Through this, African cities show how people make these spaces their own and how the power of their conglomeration cannot be ignored in unwrapping the democratic essence of public spaces.
Spaces of Historical and Cultural Significance
Historical and cultural sites, when used as public spaces, serve not only to bring people together but also to strengthen the values they share. These spaces hold powerful meanings for surrounding communities, and their layered histories serve as anchors for social engagement and protest.
One prime example is Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt. Located in the city's commercial center, with over 20 million residents living within nine miles of the location, it has played a central role in all of Cairo's political transformations. Its history as a public space includes the first protest against the British presence in Egypt and colonial architecture in 1946, the Great Fire of Cairo in 1952, and many more, making it a symbol of freedom and rebellion for the Egyptian people. This sense of the public square draws the city's residents to actively engage with it, interrogating issues and helping to scale demonstrations. More recently, it was the site for anti-government demonstrations and the Arab Spring revolutions in 2011.
Another example is Jemaa el-Fna Square, a major cultural space in Marrakesh, Morocco. It is a triangular square surrounded by restaurants, stands, and public buildings, providing everyday commercial activities and a meeting point for the local population. Since the 11th century, it has been a space that concentrates popular Moroccan cultural traditions performed through musical, religious, and artistic expressions. The heritage of the space enables open cultural exchange and a space to speak to issues in unique ways. The 20th February movement in Marrakesh in 2011 was a demonstration in the square calling for democratic reforms combating terrorism, while the COP22 UN climate conference in 2016 saw young activists inspired to protest through dance.
Sites of Political Structures
Governmental structures are symbols and instruments of political life. They shape political culture and the space where governments are held accountable. Their architecture, history, and public spaces convey norms of governance and are places of friction for people to engage in governmental decisions.
The Assemblée Nationale in Niamey, Niger, is a major example. The building and its square were constructed by the French in the early 1950s and were at the heart of colonial reforms until the country gained independence in 1960. It is a building that plays a significant role in every governmental decision and draws celebratory or provocative moods from the city's residents. Recently, the coup in Niger has seen continuous demonstrations at the square, praising the country's prospective sovereignty and freedom from French influence.
Bamako Independence Square is another public space on the continent that reflects political significance as an anchor to protests and engagement. It includes the central Monument of Independence located at the Place de l'Independance roundabout and is surrounded by governmental buildings in the capital city. It was constructed in 1995 and has been a symbol of Malian independence. The political significance of the space inspires political engagement and provides an atmosphere of freedom and rebellion. Over the years, it has been a reaction point for Malian citizens to question the decisions of the government. Similarly to Niger, it hosted protests recently that questioned the country's sovereignty from French influence.
Makeshift Protest Spaces
Many African cities lack designed public squares, so residents often resort to makeshift or temporary spaces as platforms for protests and demonstrations. These spaces include rallies on major city roads, open parks, alternative public buildings, or communal market spaces. Protesters choose these spaces specifically in relation to the ideals of the protest, helping to amplify those ideals around the city.
The 2020 EndSars Lekki toll gate protests in Lagos, Nigeria, serve as a major example. The toll gate serves as a vehicular and socio-economic anchor connecting the main part of the city to its island. With 30,000 cars passing through it daily, residents protesting against police brutality understood its importance as a city landmark. By rallying at the toll gate and obstructing vehicular movement, they transformed the infrastructure designed for vehicular flow into a makeshift protest space. The novel form of protest put the city in discomfort and drew the listening ears of the government to the plight of its residents. The Lekki toll gate protests demonstrate how people can make public spaces their own and engage in societal issues in a democratic way.
The 2019 protest against Omar al-Bashir's regime in Khartoum, Sudan is another example. Although the city of Khartoum had cultural open areas such as Al Saha Al Ghadraa and buildings of political significance such as the parliament in Omdurman, conflicts caused by the military regime prompted the city's residents to seek a new makeshift protest space that would speak loudly to their cause. The protest featured a march by thousands of people to the Sudanese Army's headquarters in the Ministry of Defence's complex, followed by a multi-day sit-in within the public space of the complex. This makeshift space was a symbolic choice by the people, calling on the army to protect citizens and collaborate with them to achieve a transitional government.
However, public spaces used as places of protest are not limited to the three categories mentioned above. The Meskel Square in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, for instance, is a religious space that has significant meaning to the city and draws residents for social engagement and protests. Other built spaces such as stadiums, schools, or churches also serve as places for rallies. These examples highlight the importance of public spaces in the growth of societies and the development of democracy. They play a crucial role as places of exchange, promoting cultural change and questioning political ideals. While designed public spaces may be built to represent governments or developed culturally, their appropriation as places of protest is also determined by their relationship with citizens.
