Liberia: Weah Aide, Dozen More Arrested

About seventy protesters were arrested, among them former Presidential Aide Sekou Kalasco Damaro. The arrested protesters were later taken to the Monrovia Central Prison.

The early dawn protest led by former Superintendent Janjay Gbarpbea of Grand Bassa County was staged Tuesday, December 17, 2024, characterized by clashes with police.

Protesters sought to call on President Joseph N. Boakai and Vice President Jeremiah K. Koung to desist from interfering in the removal of embattled Speaker J. Fonati Koffa.

According to them, the removal of Speaker Koffa by majority members of the House is unconstitutional and illegal, noting that it’s time Liberians take charge and call the Presidency to order.

The protesters accused the Police of discharging live bullets and killing peaceful citizens, but the LNP denies and counters that the Police provided protection and security for the gathering, using non-lethal weapons when they resorted to violence.

Monsterrado County District #9 Representative Frank Saah Foko, Montserrado County District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah, and Gbarpolu County Representative Eugene J.M Kollie attended the early morning clash.

Members of the Police Emergency Response Unite (ERU) teargassed protesters after they violently resisted the police and engaged them in a physical fight.

A confrontation erupted between the Liberia National Police and defiant protesters in front of the University of Liberia and the Executive Mansion. The crowd went to the Capitol Building to petition lawmakers to resolve the leadership crisis in the House of Representatives.

Riot Police, overwhelmed by protesters, discharged teargas canisters to disburse the crowd, but protesters threw stones at the police, restricting their movement.

Representative Frank Saah Foko was seen running from the Police and the scene and later jumped over the fence between the Legislature and the Judiciary, entering the courtyard dressed in white gown without slippers on his feet.

Foko ran into the Monrovia City Court, opened the door, and fell to the ground, calling for water as he pleaded with the Magistrate of the Monrovia City Court, Ben Barco, to save his life, noting that the police were after him to take his life.

The lawmaker was seen in Magistrate Barco’s office for about three hours before some of his bodyguards came with his car and brought him slippers. Representative Foko and his bodyguards walked out of the judge’s office and got in his car, and left the courtyard

.Protesters then ran helter-skelter for safety amid rain of teargas while Police arrested several of them for engaging in violence.

Speaking with reporters subsequently, Representative Saah Foko complained that he was teargassed by the Police, clarifying that he was never part of the protest; rather, he was being escorted to his office at the Capitol by his people.

“I was never part of the protest. I was coming to work but escorted by my people when the protest was ongoing. However, the police fired tear gas in the atmosphere, and that affected my eyes, even though I put my hands up. Now, I have to jump over the fence at the legislature to get to the Judiciary to save my life”, the lawmaker explains.

Meanwhile, addressing a news conference at the National Police Headquarters in Monrovia after the Police had quelled the protest, Inspector General Gregory Coleman denied the Police discharged live bullets, clarifying that they were peaceful, protective, and calm until the protesters resisted the order.

According to IG Coleman, riot Police provided specific zones for protesters. Still, they resisted and began to engage the Police in a fistfight, something, he says, prompted his men to discharge non-lethal weapons such as teargas.

“Currently, we have arrested over seventy persons in our custody undergoing investigation to be forwarded to court for prosecution. Our officers provided the necessary protection and restrictions for the protesters, but they resisted after they fought our officers. We want you to know that we even helped in transporting some of them to the hospital”, Col. Coleman reveals.

Speaking in a news conference following his escape with a bloody head, former Grand Bassa County Superintendent and head of the protesters, Janjay Gbarpbea, accused the Police of discharging live bullets, killing, and wounding, in his words, “peaceful protesters.”

According to him, they converged from the entire Montserrado County to call on President Joseph Boakai and Vice President Jeremiah K. Koung to stop interfering in legislature activities and desist from unconstitutional attempt to remove embattled Speaker J. Fonati Koffa. Janjay, who served under former President George Weah, wants the current administration to respect the rule of law and the fabric of democracy by maintaining peace.

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He says the alleged actions by the Liberia National Police are a recipe for chaos, noting that these things are happening at a time when poverty, hardship, and mysterious dead bodies are seen all over the country.

“We condemn the brutal action by the Liberian National Police and demand the release of those, I mean the over 70 persons in police custody. Those people were unlawfully arrested. Also, we call on all opposition political parties to join and end the nightmare of the Boakai-Koung administration. With that, we hereby announce the Boakai-Koung step-down campaign beginning today.”

He says the date for the new campaign will be announced shortly, rallying, “We call all to join. They must step down now, and this is not negotiable. They will not demand signatures, rather, they will protest till he resigns. This is not the time to allow personal interest to damage our country. We appreciate Liberians for their huge turnout.”

Tension has flared here after a group of lawmakers supported by the government, calling themselves the majority bloc, announced the removal of Speaker J. Fonanti Koffa, replacing him by ruling Unity Party lawmaker, Representative Richard Nagbe Koon, a decision strongly resisted by the main opposition, Congress for Democratic Change.

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