A student protest at Tubman University in Harper, Maryland County, injured several students and others arrested.
By Patrick N. Mensah, Maryland County
Harper City, Liberia, December 11, 2024 – Early Monday’s peaceful protest by students believed to be members of campus-based Student Unification Alliance (SUA) at the William V.S. Tubman University in Harper, Maryland County, turned chaotic amidst alleged police brutality.
Protesting students peacefully gathered at the university’s main campus, urging the administration to reconsider the suspension of 14 students recently for disorderly conduct.
The University on December 2, 2024, suspended 14 students, including Paul P. K. Blanyon, chairman of the Students Unification Alliance and a senior student of the College of Engineering and Technology, Jefferson Wah, among others, for violation of the Student’s Handbook.
Tensions reached a breaking point at Tubman University when students gathered on campus to protest against rising tuition. But what started as a peaceful demonstration quickly turned into violent clashes between students and police.
The students were calling for the university to reconsider its decision to raise tuition fees by 20%. Many are from low-income families and cannot afford the increased fees. The university claims that the increment is necessary to maintain the quality of education, but the students are not convinced.
As the protest raged, the administration called the police to control the situation. Riot officers arrived on campus, armed with batons and tear gas canisters. The students were taken aback by the show of force but continued their protest, refusing to stop.
The police started to forcefully remove the students from campus, pushing and hitting them with batons as they sprayed teargas canisters, reducing what was supposed to be a peaceful protest to chaos and violence.
Eyewitnesses report seeing several students being dragged and beaten by the police. One student, David, was hit in the head with a baton and had to be rushed to hospital for treatment. Another student, Sarah, was sprayed with tear gas, resulting in breathing difficulty.
However, the heavy-handedness of the police only fueled the anger of the students, who continued to resist and fight back. The campus was in chaos as students and police clashed. Students were seen throwing rocks and other objects at the police in a desperate attempt to defend themselves.
The situation escalated further when the police brought in water cannons to disperse the crowd. The students were drenched and freezing, but they refused to give up. They continued to demand justice and for their voices to be heard.
After several hours of chaos and violence, the protest finally stopped. The campus was left in shambles, with several students injured and traumatized by the brutality they suffered at the hands of the police.
In a press statement, the university condemns the violence on campus, promising to investigate the incident. But for the students, the damage had already been done. They were left with a deep sense of betrayal and mistrust towards the institution meant to protect and educate them.
The incident at Tubman University is a stark reminder of the power dynamics between students and authorities. It also sheds light on the harsh reality many students face in their pursuit of education – where their voices are often silenced and their rights disregarded. The fight for better education and a better future continues amid disagreement and mistrust.
Meanwhile, several students from the campus-based Student Unification Alliance have been arrested by State Security for protesting on campus. Editing by Jonathan Browne
