Riot cops stormed a peaceful protest outside Public Utilities Regulatory Authorities headquarters, bundling dozens of them into vans as anger boiled over at soaring internet data costs.

What began as a peaceful gathering soon turned chaotic when a heavily-armed police unit arrived in their black, tinted van. Police commander barked orders to arrest anyone defying the earlier warning against staging an “unauthorised” protest.

Within minutes, officers in helmets and shields began dragging demonstrators into waiting trucks. Among the first hauled away was outspoken rapper and activist Killer Ace, who shouted defiantly that Gambians had the right to assemble.

“We are exercising our constitutional rights,” he yelled as he was shoved inside the vehicle.

His arrest sparked outrage among fellow protesters, but the show of resistance was short-lived. Police quickly overpowered them, bundling them into custody.

One dramatic moment saw a young demonstrator sprinting down the road near Pipeline Mosque with five officers in hot pursuit.

He was eventually wrestled to the ground and arrested, drawing gasps from bystanders.

The crackdown comes after weeks of rising anger over PURA’s decision to impose a controversial data price floor, a move critics say will make internet access unaffordable for many Gambians.

Civil society groups and youth activists have accused the regulator of serving corporate interests rather than the public good.

Rights groups have already condemned the arrests as heavy-handed, warning that silencing peaceful dissent could inflame tensions further.

By Adama Makasuba