Home » Did Police Request $500k For July 17 Protest? Liberia’s Security Sector Under Fire

Did Police Request $500k For July 17 Protest? Liberia’s Security Sector Under Fire

MONROVIA – In a country struggling with economic hardship, public distrust in institutions, and deepening political divisions, the whispers coming out of Liberia’s national security corridors are not just troubling, they’re infuriating. This week, reports emerged alleging that the Liberia National Police (LNP), under the command of Inspector General Gregory Coleman, submitted a budget request of half a million United States dollars to manage the “Enough is Enough” protest slated for July 17.

It’s not a claim made in passing. It was thrust into public view by former Representative Acarous Moses Gray of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), who wrote on Facebook questioning whether Coleman truly requested $500,000 for protest-related operations. “No wonder why these heartless leaders have police officers parading this morning in front of the cameras to justify their chopping,” Gray posted. “These guys really chopping at the hierarchical level while ordinary police officers are in the streets without rain gear and feeding.”

It’s a bold accusation, one that resonates with many Liberians tired of what they perceive as institutional greed veiled in the name of public service. It echoes a longstanding suspicion: that Liberia’s security apparatus, especially during politically sensitive times, tends to benefit more from the specter of chaos than from maintaining actual peace.

Investigative journalist Charles Yates didn’t hesitate to pile on. In a scathing post, he drew parallels between this current situation and a proposed protest during the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf administration. According to Yates, that protest was aborted after the security services submitted a budget exceeding a million dollars. “Ask Senator Amara Konneh if I’m lying,” he wrote, referring to the former Minister of Finance. “The government at the time met with the protest leaders and handled the matter behind closed doors and saved the state millions of dollars.”

Yates’ message was blunt: security institutions, especially the police, often see public demonstrations not as threats to peace but as lucrative financial opportunities. “This is why the Ministry of Justice and LNP approved the upcoming protest,” he concluded. “Because of the financial benefits they will get. Gregory Coleman pocket full right now.”

While these are social media claims, they’re gaining traction fast. The Ministry of Justice (MOJ), which officially approved the July 17 protest organized by Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND), has yet to comment on the alleged LNP budget request. Nor has the LNP or Inspector General Coleman addressed the accusations. Their silence is telling.

The Ministry’s July 14 statement emphasized the government’s commitment to upholding Article 17 of the 1986 Constitution, which guarantees the right to peaceful assembly. It also warned participants to act within legal limits, asserting law enforcement’s readiness to arrest anyone who crosses the line. Yet, this firm stance on law and order does little to quell the public’s concern when those tasked with maintaining peace may be financially incentivized by the very protests they’re tasked to police.

Let’s be clear: protests are constitutionally protected acts of civil expression. But when the security institutions allegedly treat them as budgetary windfalls, the integrity of both the protest and the public protection process is undermined. How can trust be built in a system where safeguarding rights seems conditional on who gets paid?

What makes these allegations even more painful is the visible reality on the ground. Ordinary officers are reportedly still without basic equipment like raincoats or daily feeding stipends. Yet their leaders, if these claims hold any truth, are submitting massive budgets, allegedly in the name of security.

The Ministry of Justice made it known that no other protest group aside from STAND has been granted a permit to assemble between July 15 and 17. This exclusivity raises another concern: does the permit approval process hinge more on logistics and law, or on the potential for profit?

The protest itself, rooted in frustration over inflation, bad governance, and economic inequality, is now being eclipsed by suspicion over how much money may be changing hands behind the scenes. This should alarm every Liberian who believes in transparency, accountability, and a functional democracy.

For now, the allegations by Gray and Yates remain just that: allegations. But in a country with a long history of institutional opacity and public disillusionment, such claims, if left unanswered, will only further erode trust.

If the LNP did not submit such a budget, it owes the public a statement. If the MOJ played no part in enabling what Yates describes as a cash grab, it must say so. Silence, in this case, is not neutral; it is dangerous.

The July 17 protest will come and go. But unless Liberia starts demanding full transparency from its law enforcement and justice institutions, not just about how they police protests but also how they fund them, the real protest will not be on the streets. It will be buried in the quiet resentment of a people who feel manipulated and deceived, once again, by those sworn to serve and protect.

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