Frequent power outages in Gambia are damaging small businesses and fueling protests, with demonstrators clashing with police and anger growing ahead of December's election ▻ ↧ Gambia bans protests without permits after unrest over power cuts Gambia's ​police chief has announced that no further protests will be allowed in the West ‌African nation without permits, after authorities used tear gas earlier in the week to disperse crowds that had formed to denounce prolonged power cuts during the hottest months of the year.