CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA — Police spent the entire day on Tuesday containing a large group of angry protesters that trooped to its headquarters in demand of justice against ‘police brutalities’ which they claimed left a truck conductor dead in Gardrnesville, a suburb of Monrovia.
The protesters, including men, women, and children, gathered early in the day on the Somalia Drive, now the Japan Freeway, holding placards, leaves, huge banners with anti-police slogans and chanting ‘We want justice’, marched through Gardnersville to Bushrod Island and Capitol Hill.
The crowd got bigger by the time it reached the police headquarters. Later police used tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse it.
The incident caught President Weah’s attention and requested Internal Affairs Minister Varney Sirleaf, and the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Williametta Saydee Tarr to join the Police in calling for calm.
What Sparked the Protest?
The Protesters alleged that wanton police brutalities against peaceful citizens are now on the increase, leading to the death of a truck conductor, Alieu Sheriff. They also claimed that a woman, identified as Fatu Karmara, lost one of her eyes at the hands of the Police because she was not wearing a mask in public. In addition, they said the Police are using excessive force to enforce the COVID-19 health protocols that were reactivated by the government in the wake of the third wave of the disease.
“We are protesting for the many victimizations done by the police,” said Abraham Keita, Coordinator, Movement Against Police Brutalities, one of the lead organizers of the protest.
“Within these few days, the police brutalized a woman called Fatu Kamara and damaged one of her eyes because they said she was not observing the health protocol. Then, recently, three police officers beat Alieu Sheriff to death. This is very barbaric, and it got to stop.”
Another protester, Abraham Donso alleged that Sheriff died at the hands of the Police while crying for his life. But the police ignored him and continue beating him until he died.
“They treated him like he was not a human being. How will you beat someone so badly, and ignored him while he cried for his life? He kept telling them I am dying but they told him to die.”
Donso said prior to the protest, the Police had said nothing to the bereaved family, and as Muslims, they bury immediately when someone dies. Thus, they were also demanding the Police to turn over the remains of Sheriff for burial.
Another protest leader, Mark Jabateh told reporters that the march for justice was a signal to President Weah and the Police that the citizens were fed up with the wanton police brutalities meted against them. He called on the President to immediately intervene and stop the violence against his people.
Recently, a truck conductor, Sheriff died while in a scuffle with three Police officers who had pulled his vehicle over for routine inspection. According to eyewitnesses, Sheriff and the officers joined in a tussle and they severely beat him, adding that at some point, the late Sherriff pleaded that he was dying but they ignored him.
Violent Altercations Marred Protest
Meanwhile, as the meeting with the protest’s leaders and the officials was ongoing at the LNP national headquarters, the mood outside turned sour when some of the protesters started to throw stones and water at the riot Police manning the main entrance of the building. Police fired tear gas and rubber bullets at them, and as the crowd dispersed, arrested several of them. They also sized the protesters’ motorbikes they had used to attend the demonstration.
Jabarteh told reporters that he invited the police to make the arrest because some ‘criminals’ infiltrated the crowd and were doing things contrary to their intention. The incident, however, turned weird when the Police began arresting the protesters indiscriminately, with some Police officers even attempting to arrest Jabarteh, prompting him to call the Police unprofessional and a bunch of criminals. He told reporters later that they will ensure their people are released.
How Did It End?
Addressing reporters at the end of the closed-door meeting, Ministers Sirleaf and Saydee-Tarr lauded the protest’s leaders for their patience and understanding and called on everyone to remain calm as the police investigate the incidents speedily.
We had a very good meeting. It is about how we can bring justice to the victims and their families,” Minister Sirleaf said.
Minister Sirleaf continued: “The President is aware. He called me to join in and restore calm. And the good thing about this is, the Police have promised that the investigation will be speedily conducted to ensure justice is served. I can assure all of our people that this investigation will be speedy. We call on all those to be calm. Go home as your leaders work with the police. We will ensure that justice is served.”
Police Using Force to Fight COVID-19
Of recent, there have been reports of police using excessive force against commuters in public places without masks, as well as motorcyclists and drivers carrying more passengers above the required number.
FrontPage Africa’s investigation uncovered that Police were intimidating and commuters for not adhering to the health protocols. Some people were flogged with sticks, while others were made to ‘pump tyre’, a form of punishment in Liberia where people are made to squat up and down repeatedly until they have learned their lesson through the pain experienced.
Following the report, the LNP issued a statement warning its officers to stop the acts and called on the victims and the public to report any such action perpetrated by the police.