The 2005 Togo protests and riots were demonstrations and rioting against the results of the presidential election and Faure Gnassingbe  takeover of power. Protests began in February and protesters demanded new elections and the end of the Gnassingbe dynasty. Around 100 were killed before the elections  but after the 2005 Togolese presidential election , Around 500 protesters were killed in the uprising . Background  Eyadéma died on 5 February 2005, and the Togolese military immediately installed his son Faure Gnassingbé as president. The Army Chief of Staff, Zakari Nandja, said this was meant to avoid a power vacuum. The  Togolese government initially banned all protests for two months. However, about 1,000 people attended an anti-government rally in Lomé on 11 February 2005. Tensions Gnassingbé lifted the government's ban on protests on 18 February and announced that there would be a presidential election in 60 days. Opposition groups called on Gnassingbé to step down and held large protests in Lomé, Aného, Sokodé and Sinkanse. On 25 February, Gnassingbé, citing growing domestic and international pressure, announced he would resign as president  . Opposition supporters objected to the appointment of Bonfoh Abass as interim president instead of Fambaré Ouattara Natchaba, accusing Abass of being too close to the Gnassingbé regime.
The 2005 Togo protests and riots were demonstrations and rioting against the results of the presidential election and Faure Gnassingbe 's takeover of power. Protests began in February with protesters demanding new elections and the end of the Gnassingbe dynasty. Around 100 were killed before the elections , but after the 2005 Togolese presidential election around 500 protesters were killed by Togolese Armed Forces, assisted by military-trained Rally of the Togolese People (RPT) militias . Background Togolese President Gnassingbe Eyadéma died on 5 February 2005, and the Togolese Armed Forces immediately installed his son Faure Gnassingbé as president. The Army Chief of Staff, Zakari Nandja, said this was meant to avoid a power vacuum. The following day on 6 February, President of the National Assembly of Togo Fambaré Ouattara Natchaba, who should have taken over as caretaker leader pending elections in 2 months per the Constitution of Togo, was dismissed and replaced by Faure Gnassingbe. The African Union (AU) described this as "a military coup" with both the AU and ECOWAS imposing sanctions on Togo. The Togolese government initially banned all protests for two months. However, about 1,000 people attended an anti-government rally in Lomé on 11 February 2005. Tensions Gnassingbé lifted the government's ban on protests on 18 February and announced that there would be a presidential election in 60 days. Opposition groups called on Gnassingbé to step down and held large protests in Lomé, Aného, Sokodé and Sinkanse. On 25 February, Gnassingbé, citing growing domestic and international pressure, announced he would resign as president , resulting in ECOWAS lifting sanctions . Opposition supporters objected to the appointment of Bonfoh Abass as interim president instead of Fambaré Ouattara Natchaba, accusing Abass of being too close to the Gnassingbé regime.
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