Day 1 of demo ends in violent clash between protesters and police
Police announce arrests and moves to prosecute perpetrators
Paul Adom-Otchere has chastised organizers of the Arise Ghana demo, describing their protest as ‘politically motivated and reckless.’
His comments come on the back of violent scenes that tainted Day 1 of the protest as demonstrators clashed with police leading to bloody scenes on both sides.
The journalist, speaking on the June 28, 2022 edition of the Good Evening Ghana programme on Metro TV cited a main demand of the group, i.e. starting the protest at 3pm, stating that it did not make sense and had never happened in the country’s political history.
“What kind of recklessness was that, is that how we want to build our country? I heard it but I wanted to see the videos first. Demonstrators insist on beginning a demonstration at 3 o’clock, that has never happened in this country.
“From the famous demonstrations that we have known in this country, even those that supported the agitation against the colonial administration, including the famous February 28 demonstration, it started in the morning,” he stressed.
He linked the violent incident to what he described as the “famous letter” to the police from FixTheCountry that they wanted to be armed and provide their own security at a protest that was subsequently cancelled.
“We insist that this is politically motivated recklessness in the form of a demonstration but it is reckless to insist on wanting to start a demonstration at 3 o’clock in the afternoon and you want to end at 8pm. There must be something wrong with you to make that suggestion to the Police,” he added.
He said, he agreed with the Court that protests were the right of people and that they can’t be stopped except for good reason - Public Order Act issues and police readiness.
“When we say it is reckless, we are not just being political but we are speaking to the provisions passed by Parliament in the Public Order Act,” Adom-Otchere submitted.
Brief of what we know so far:
Police have announced the arrest of 29 people in connection with violent incidents that marred the June 28, 2022 Arise Ghana demonstration at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.
According to a statement dated June 28 and signed by Chief Superintendent Grace Ansah-Akrofi, Director of Public Affairs, the Police were also reviewing available footage with the view to making more arrests if need be.
"The Police have arrested 29 demonstrators for their participation in violent attacks on the Police and some members of the public including school children during the Arise Ghana demonstration in Accra…” the June 28, 2022 statement added.
The statement further disclosed that leaders of the protest will be arrested and arraigned for the attacks and damage to property according to provisions under relevant laws.
In an earlier statement, the Police said a dozen of its officers were injured in the clash and were receiving treatment at the Police Hospital.
A GhanaWeb reporter observed that stones were thrown at the police by some irate supporters following which tear gas and rubber bullets were fired as police moved to thwart the change of route for the protests.
Water canon was also deployed as some protesters mounted road blocks by burning tyres in the middle of the road.
Arise Ghana, an amalgamation of groups and individuals organized the two-day protest to highlight the rising cost of living and issues of misgovernance.
Despite a court order relative to time and route of the protest, the leaders insisted on following a route other than the one ordered by the court, an insistence by the Police that they obey the agreed upon route resulted in the skirmishes.
Day Two of the protests passed off without incident with protesters marching from the El Wak Sports Stadium through to the Ministries and eventually to Parliament.
They presented petitions to the Minister of Finance, which was received by the two deputies, whiles the leadership of Parliament received a copy on behalf of the lawmaking chamber.
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