The Catholic Church is trying to oust an African dictator - photos and video show priests being beaten in the streets

Reuters

Demonstrators kneel and chant slogans during a protest organised by Catholic activists in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo January 21, 2018.

Democratic Republic of Congo's President Joseph Kabila has refused to relinquish power for more than a year, and the Catholic Church has emerged as the leader in the fight against him.

Since December, when Kabila again refused to step down, the church and a spiritual group called the Lay Coordination Committee have organized a handful of protests, all of which have ended violently. 

Most recently, anti-government protests in the capital city of Kinshasa on Sunday left four people dead and two more injured, according to the Associated Press.

Kabila's refusal to step down has also aggravated violence between government forces and multiple armed groups in other areas of the country. This includes the Kasai and Kivu regions, where mass atrocities have been carried out by both sides, killing and displacing thousands in the last few years.

Here's what's going on: