Monrovia – The opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) is mobilizing its supporters by distributing pro-party T-shirts at various district headquarters across the country, amidst growing rumors of planned mass protests.
By J.H. Webster Clayeh (0886729972) – [email protected]
The t-shirts, emblazoned with the slogan “Resist Them,” were introduced by Alvin Wesseh, the Acting Chairman of the CDC Youth League. However, the Youth League has not confirmed whether the distribution of these T-shirts is linked to any upcoming protest activities.
Speaking to FrontPageAfrica, Wesseh stated that the “Resist Them” campaign is aimed primarily at protesting the increasing hardship and high cost of living in Liberia under the Boakai-Koung administration.
“The youth league has embarked on a tour of several counties, including Bomi, Cape Mount, Grand Bassa, and Margibi,” Wesseh said. “Currently, about 10,000 t-shirts have been printed, with partisans flocking to CDC headquarters to collect them.”
The launch of the “Resist Them” campaign comes on the heels of a significant police deployment near the CDC headquarters on Monday, August 5, 2024. This deployment has fueled tensions between the police and CDC members.
On the evening of Sunday, August 4, 2024, Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman announced that Liberia could soon witness a series of demonstrations across the country. While he did not specify the groups behind the protests or their motivations, Coleman assured that the police force would be prepared to protect both demonstrators and the general public.
By Monday, riot police were stationed near the CDC headquarters in anticipation of potential protests in Monrovia. The heavy police presence at the opposition party’s headquarters has raised concerns among CDC members, though no official reason for the deployment was provided.
Addressing inquiries from a FrontPageAfrica journalist at the Ministry of Information, Culture, and Tourism’s (MICAT) regular press briefing on Tuesday, August 6, 2024, Justice Minister Oswald Tweh explained that the police action was based on intelligence gathered by national security regarding potential protests. He also noted that no group had requested a permit to hold a demonstration.
