Monrovia – The Thursday, June 7,#SavetheState protest became more successful with the full participation of the partisans of the Alternative National Congress (ANC), who were led by their Political Leader, Mr. Alexander B. Cummings.
Report by Alaskai Moore Johnson, [email protected]
Though not a part of the structure of the Council of Patriots (COP), the group of Liberians who organized and called the shots for the protest, Mr. Cummings and his ANC folks said they could not sit back idly and watch Liberia descend further in the abyss of desolation. Also, most of the concerns raised by the COP, resonate with the opposition political party.
Prior to ANC partisans joining the march along with other protesters on Capitol Hill, the assembly ground of their peaceful protest, they departed their party headquarters and marched to the Sinkor residence of their Political Leader.
Mr. Cummings descended from his high-rise home to greet and admonish his partisans to be calmed and peaceful. He told them that their cause to peacefully protest was in the best interest of Liberia.
His plead with them to at all times be peaceful in their protest didn’t go unnoticed as the several hundreds of ANC partisans marched the nearly three-kilometer journey to the assembly point without any incident of violence even though some bystanders said provoking things to them. They kept singing and chanting anti-government slogans until they reached their destination and joined the tens of thousands of other peaceful protesters. They also held with them a banner in which President George Weah is described as “Generational Traitor.”
Before the ANC partisans left Mr. Cummings’ residence, he reminded the government of its obligation to provide adequate protection for his partisans and all other protesters as they were out to exercise their constitutional right to peacefully protest.
Earlier on Wednesday, Mr. Cummings addressed at a major press conference, which was held at his party headquarters.
Mr. Cummings used the occasion to call on the government of President George Manneh Weah, to keep its promise made to the Council of Patriots (COP) that he will ensure that peaceful protesters are provided adequate security at all times during the June 7 protest.
He, at the same time admonished his fellow partisans as well as all Liberians, who participated in the June 7 protest, to remain peaceful and act in accordance with the Constitution. “Avoid any provocation and refrain from retaliation,” he further urged them.
The ANC leader further said that the right to petition the government/protest is a constitutional right of all citizens.
Mr. Cummings then reminded President Weah and his security apparatus that it is not a personal decision to choose whether to provide adequate security for the peaceful protesters but that it is the duty of government to protect their citizens when they assemble peaceably to petition their government. He urged Pres. Weah to keep his promise to protect the lives of the people. It seems Mr. Cummings’ request was heeded by the security forces, including the police. There were no incident of skirmishes between the security forces and the protesters during the course of the June 7 protest.