Correspondent for Happy98.9 FM, Joseph Nii Ankrah, who captured live the events that unfolded before and during the chaotic scene on the first day of the Arise Ghana Youth demonstration, has shared that the narrative of the clash between the Police and the protestors has been made to suit accounts of demonstrators against the Police.
The Arise Ghana Youth demonstration which was initially expected to take place on Wednesday, June 29 between the hours of 3 pm – 10 pm was ordered to commence early in the day, ending at 3 pm as the Police disagreed with the idea of a protest that will lead into the night.
Nonetheless, the first day of the planned protest easily escalated into a chaotic scene as the Police Force clashed with demonstrators resulting in several injuries and arrest of 29 demonstrators.
Some reports have suggested that the Police action was predetermined and unprofessional. While leading members of the demonstrating group have also indicated that the Police acted in an ill manner.
However, Nii Ankrah narrating the incident in an interview with Samuel Eshun on e.tv Ghana’s “Fact Sheet” disclosed that the Police Service were professional during the protest despite the consistent provocation from the Arise Ghana group.
According to him, both leaders from the Police and the Arise Ghana group engaged in a discussion after they warned protestors from plying the Ring Road stretch to the President’s residency, The Jubilee House.
“However, the demonstrators were unwilling to compromise and the Police were also strong on their stance and maintained their no-go zone. After hours of engagement proved futile, leaders of Arise Ghana held a mini press briefing at the Nkrumah Fountain and pledged to not move an inch daring the Police in the process. According to Bernard Monarh, if they die, they die for Mother Ghana,” he accounted.
“Sammy Gyamfi encouraged the group to stand firm together with Rex Omar and the prominent leaders promised to face off anything from the Police. Bernard Monarh then moved with Edem Agbana towards the Police and Edem threw the flag down while others from the crowd threw their plycards at the police. The Police were very professional that day and entreated them not to trespass the line formed, yet they kept on provoking the Police while the Police remained calm. The commander also kept instructing officers to remain calm and at post.”
Edem Agbana moved back to the crowd. Joshua Akamba and General then instructed the crowd to move towards the Police to evade the human barricade formed. All of a sudden there were stones from all sides as some of the demonstrators on the bridge that leads to Multimedia began pelting stones while the Police took cover,” he said.
He further revealed that the Police retreated as the stones being hurdled at them intensified, becaming rampant and unbearable.
“This instigated the Police to react and that was when they decided to fire the tear gas even with that the protestors picked them up and threw them back at the Police. That wasn’t enough and they had to call for reinforcement with the water tank. Unfortunately, the Police sustained injuries as well,” he added.
Meanwhile, the second day of the Arise Ghana demonstration was incident-free, unlike the first day which ended prematurely.
The protestors and Police began massing up outside the El-Wak Stadium in Accra as early as 6 am for the protest as they marched on throw to the Jubilee House.
