Joseph Penney / Reuters

Police arrest rapper Kilifeu of anti-government youth movement Y'en a Marre in Dakar, Senegal on Feb. 16, 2012. Riot police used teargas, truncheons and a water cannon to disperse hundreds of people protesting at President Abdoulaye Wade's decision to seek a third term in office.

Joseph Penney / Reuters

Members of Y'en a Marre chant slogans in Dakar on Feb. 16, 2012.

The Associated Press reports from DAKAR, Senegal — Police arrested two prominent rappers and opened fire with tear gas on protesters who had gone ahead with a banned demonstration Thursday.

The sleep-in protest was organized by a group of rappers known as Y'en a Marre, French for "We've had enough," which is allied with the opposition but is not fielding a candidate in the election. Riot police began pelting the group with tear gas, after protesters tried to light tires on fire.

Security forces moved in and arrested Simon and Kilifeu, two of the founders of the Y'en a Marre, who were led away to a police truck.

• NYT: In blunt and sometimes crude rap, a strong political voice emerges

The country's opposition is calling for the departure of 85-year-old President Abdoulaye Wade, who is insisting on running for a third term in the Feb. 26 election despite growing resistance from the population as well as criticism from the international community. Read the full story.

• See more images related to Senegalese politics on PhotoBlog

Reuters

Anti-government protestors march past burning tires in Dakar on Friday, Jan. 27, 2012.

Toure Behan / AFP - Getty Images

Tires burn in a street on Friday, Jan. 27, 2012, in Senegal's capital Dakar, where clash broke out between police and young protesters.

AP

Protesters set fires in a street on Friday.

Reuters reports from DAKAR — Protesters hurled rocks at police who retaliated with tear gas in Senegal's capital Dakar on Friday after a top legal body said President Abdoulaye Wade had the right to run for a third term in elections next month.

Local television said one policeman died from head injuries after clashes in the capital Dakar. Reuters reporters saw youths set fire to tires in the street and overturn cars after a late-night ruling of the West African country's Constitutional Council.