Gabon's political crisis reached new heights on Thursday, as students protested at Omar Bongo University in the capital city, Libreville. Whereas protests last week involved mostly opposition members, the unrest appears to be developing into a wider social conflict. Currently the official government headed by President Ali Bongo, son of the late longstanding strongman Omar Bongo, stands accused of election fraud by an ‘unofficial’ opposition government. Former Interior Minister and opposition leader André Mba Obame, has declared himself President. Planned protests in the country have been stifled by the authorities before they can take place. This video from YouTube user AfricaWeWish shows the protest at Omar Bongo University yesterday: Students’ Revolt Around 2:00 pm CET on the 10 February, activist Jean-Pierre Rougou who is said to be close to Gabon's ‘unofficial’ opposition government posted on social network Twitter: Gabon: révolte des étudiants de l'UOB qui refusent de vivre comme des chiens Pictures of the 10 February demonstration were posted by Libreville resident Carel Dorian Ondo Ellassoumou [fr] on her Facebook page: Student protestors at Omar Bongo University (UOB) in Libreville, Gabon on Thursday 10 February, 2011. Image from Carel Dorian Ondo Ellassoumou. The aftermath of student protests at Omar Bongo University (UOB) in Libreville, Gabon on Thursday 10 February, 2011. Image from Carel Dorian Ondo Ellassoumou. According to website La Voix du Peuple Gabonais (Voice of the Gabonese People - LVDPG) [fr], an online newspaper managed by Gabonese living abroad, students were demonstrating [fr] because they have not received their 100 Euros (66,000 Central African Francs) monthly scholarship money since July 2010. In addition they were protesting for the reinstatement of three professors, all members of the opposition National Union political party, who are currently ‘refugees’ in the Libreville United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) building with the rest of the ‘unofficial’ opposition government. LVDPG reports these details about the clash between students and the authorities: De violents affrontements ont par la suite éclatés entre les étudiants et les gendarmes venus les empêcher de manifester, ces derniers se permettant même de violer les franchises universitaires, car, ils seraient rentrés dans le campus et brutaliseraient les étudiants à l’intérieur de l’UOB. Creators of the Facebook page Etudiants Gabonaisen Révolte (Gabonese Students in Revolt) [fr], who describe themselves as “stagnating students, lacking powerful parents at the UOB” [Omar Bongo University], posted on Thursday: les forces de l ‘ordre viennent de rentrer dans l ‘université et sont en train de nous massacrer comme en 1990!!” In 1990, an uprising that began at the same university against late President Omar Bongo was severely repressed by the Gabonese authorities, aided by French Foreign Legion forces in what was called “Operation Shark”. On the occasion of the protest this week, LVDPG shared a video report that was broadcast on French television channel Bfmtv.com [fr] in 2009 that shows the dilapidated condition of Omar Bongo University: Reactions Online The news of the students’ protest echoed within the Gabonese community online and reactions quickly appeared. Referring to the situation regarding the three sacked professors, Paterne Sedryk Magnaga comments on his Facebook profile: Comme c'est dommage! Au Gabon tu es radié de ton poste quand tu intègres un parti différent que celui du pouvoir c'est de la dictature et non la démocratie. OK L UOB, commenting on LVDPG's article [fr] on February 10, plays down the protest: arrete votre charabia les etudiants gabonais reclament leurs bourse rien de plus, quel revolte populaire. @franklinishere links to the bfmtv.com video of the rundown university on Twitter: #Gabon:43 years of disasters: See what you can find at University Omar Bongo in Libreville (video-french): http://bit.ly/ifX0Jf Ongoing Arrests On Koaci, an African news website, a blogger reports the arrest of another National Union leader in Bitam, North Gabon: Nous venons d’apprendre l’arrestation à Bitam (Nord du GABON) de Mr BRUNO NZE MEZUI LVDPG [fr] reports that opposition neighborhoods of Libreville are surrounded by the authorities: “Nous sommes pas pour venir terroriser nos populations mais plutôt assurer leur sécurité vis-à-vis des jeunes qui font le banditisme dans ces différents quartiers”, a déclaré un responsable des gendarmes.