MONROVIA – The Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP), based at the University of Liberia, has publicly disassociated itself from the planned July 17 protest organized by the STAND movement under the theme “Enough is Enough,” while reaffirming its commitment to championing the cause of Liberia’s marginalized and oppressed.
In a statement issued on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, SUP described itself as the “citadel of hope” for the downtrodden masses and “unwavering defender of social justice, academic freedom, and peace.” The statement, signed by Secretary-General Odecious Mulbah and approved by Chairman Sylvester Wheeler, emphasized that while the party recognizes the legitimacy of public dissent, it believes that any mass-based protest must be grounded in ideological clarity and disciplined direction, rather than what it termed as “selfish naked interest.”
“We categorically distance ourselves from this July 17 protest,” the statement declared, adding that meaningful resistance must be forged “in the crucible of ideological clarity” and not be influenced by narrow agendas.
Despite distancing itself from the protest, SUP did not hold back in its critique of the Boakai administration, describing it as a regime “engulfed with corruption, dictatorship, crackdown on peaceful students, and failure to deliver on promises made to the Liberian people.”
The group called on President Joseph Boakai and the Liberia National Police, which it referred to as “an untested gangsters police force under Gregory Coleman,” to exercise “utmost restraint and professionalism” during the protest, reminding the government of its constitutional obligation to protect the right to assemble peacefully as enshrined in Article 17 of the 1986 Constitution.
“Tomorrow, the people will take to the streets to demand fundamental social, political, and economic transformation which the Boakai-Koung government is bereft of,” the statement said, urging the government not only to tolerate dissent but to listen and respond meaningfully to the grievances of the people.
SUP maintained that it stands in solidarity with the broader struggle of the Liberian masses. “As we distance ourselves from tomorrow’s protest action against this government, we’re not unaware of the pain and suffering caused by a system led by Mr. Boakai that continues to ignore the plight of the people,” the group stated.
The statement concluded with a reaffirmation of SUP’s historical role in student and national resistance movements, vowing to always support the genuine demands of the people for the basic necessities of life and systemic change.
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