Police have arrested five people during a “Free the Youth” protest at Westfield, where demonstrators gathered to demand the release of 19 young people detained a day earlier.

Among those arrested was Ebrima Jallow, popularly known as Ghetto Pen, the Secretary General of Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA).

He and four others were taken into custody on Saturday and later transferred to Kairaba Police Station.

The protest followed the detention of 19 youths on Friday outside the headquarters of the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA).

Those demonstrators had been calling for lower data prices, accusing the regulator of failing to address the rising cost of internet access.

Saturday’s protesters marched under the slogan “Free the Youth”, demanding the immediate release of those still in custody.

Witnesses said the demonstration was largely peaceful until security forces intervened and made arrests.

Police have not yet issued an official statement on either the earlier detentions or the latest arrests.

Civil society groups are urging authorities to engage in dialogue with young people over their grievances, warning that continued crackdowns could deepen public frustration.

The arrests come amid growing tension over the cost of living and access to digital services in The Gambia, with many young people citing high data prices as a barrier to education, employment, and communication.

By Adama Makasuba