By Washington Tumay Watson
Liberia-Several Protesters including former President George Weah aide, Sekou Kalasco have been arrested and taken to the Liberia National Police headquarters over the alleged role in yesterday’s violent protest.
Some members of the main opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) and other political and civil society organizations including Montserrado County District #9 Representative Frank Saah Foko, and District#10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah organizers of a non-stop citizens in action to protect the rule of Law staged a protest which started as a peaceful protest but later turned violence.
The protesters along with their lawmakers were peacefully walking from Districts #9 and 10 to the Capitol with anticipation of presenting their petition to the House of Representatives and the Senate when they and the police engaged in confrontation where teargas was used to dislodge the protesters.
The police at the same time, made several arrests including Sekou Kalasco who are undergoing investigation. The Liberia National Police did not arrest Representative Frank Saah Foko and Representative Yekeh Kolubah who were the key focus of the protest.
In a related development, a former strong supporter of President Joesph Boakai Martin Kollie has condemned what he considered as police brutality and violence and at the same time called for calm between state security and aggrieved protesters.
“Everyone has the right to assemble and protest in an orderly and peaceable manner. This right is guaranteed under Article 17 of the 1986 Constitution,” he indicated.
Kollie also asserted, “We, therefore, encourage the government to protect the rights of the aggrieved protesters, the firing of teargas is condemnable and inimical to freedom of assembly and freedom of expression.”
He further urged state security to completely refrain from using lethal force against unarmed protesters. “The use of force or threats by state security against journalists is also unacceptable,” he indicated on his social media page.
He also disclosed that the throwing of stones by aggrieved protesters at police officers and refusing to act in an orderly and peaceable manner is also condemnable. “While Article 17 guarantees protest, it also insists that such action must be orderly and peaceful, and the cherished values and tenets of democracy must be protected.”
