Police Clears GALA for Major First Anniversary Gathering at Westfield

The Gambia Police Force (GPF) has officially granted a permit to Gambians Against Looted Assets (GALA) to hold its highly anticipated first anniversary commemoration in what is expected to be a major public gathering at Westfield on Friday.

In a statement issued on May 14, the police confirmed that GALA had formally applied through the Office of the Inspector General of Police seeking authorization for the event, which marks one year since the pressure group emerged at the center of growing public demands for accountability over alleged looted assets linked to former President Yahya Jammeh.

According to the police, the anniversary celebration will take place at the Youth Monument in Westfield, Kanifing, from 3:00pm to 8:00pm on May 15.

The approval, the police said, comes with conditions designed to maintain public order, peace, and compliance with Gambian laws.

“The Gambia Police Force urges organisers and participants to conduct themselves peacefully and in accordance with the conditions governing the permit,” the statement noted.

The permit approval comes amid heightened public interest surrounding GALA, whose anti-corruption campaigns and protests over the handling of former President Jammeh’s assets have attracted nationwide attention over the past year.

The movement has increasingly become a vocal civic force, mobilizing young Gambians and civil society actors around demands for transparency, accountability, and justice in the management of public resources.

Friday’s gathering is expected to draw large crowds, activists, and supporters from across the country as the group celebrates its first anniversary under growing national spotlight.