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Some personnel of the Ghana Police Service have clashed with the #FixTheCountry protestors at the premises of the Accra High Court, hearing their case.
The protestors alleged that the police are deliberately preventing them from entering the court premises.
Convenors of the #FixTheCountry protests were scheduled to appear before the court after the police secured an ex parte injunction against a massive demonstration slated for May 9.
You drag the youth to Court for ATTEMPTING to demand better living conditions and you assault them when they're honouring same? Is it a trap to be a youth in this country? How tone deaf can these guys get? We really need to #FixTheCountry. #FixTheCountryGhana pic.twitter.com/6Ro9VJHIji
— Kenneth .A. Darko (@TheKennethDarko) June 4, 2021
The group is making their case as to why the court must allow for the protest to take place despite the reasons advanced by the police, per the May 6 court order.
Ahead of the court hearing, the group in a statement called on sympathisers to embark on a march to the Criminal Division of the High Court as a sign of solidarity.
“We intend to meet up and walk together from the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Building at 9 am towards the High Court,” the group announced.
Describing recent actions against the movement as a ‘state-sponsored barrage of roadblocks and public gagging,’ the protestors say they have been resolute to follow through on these court hearings because they want accountability.
Current situation at the court #FixTheCountry pic.twitter.com/LwOSn3MTVC
— Fixthecountry (@Ghfixthecountry) June 4, 2021
However, the anticipated peaceful march became chaotic that the judge presiding over the matter had to put the case on hold to allow the lawyers of the agitating youth to intervene.
Speaking in an interview with JoyNews, the State Attorneys said the protestors showed up in a threatening manner causing the police to intervene.
ACP Kwasi Ofori said the police wanted to calm the agitating the youth before they allowed them into the premises.
However, the engagement was misconstrued as though the personnel were preventing the protestors from accessing the building which led to the chaos.
“My Commanders on the ground indicated that this is a court premise and that people should not come in a mass group. However, individually they can come to the court. But looking at the premises the police are here to provide security for the court building and all the other courts therein.
“And so coming here in a group with placards and other paraphernalia, among other things may mar the beauty and ethics of the court. In view of this, my men on the ground decided among other things engaged them so that they leave their placards and limit that militancy and go to the court as individuals.
#FixTheCountry started as an online protest which metamorphosed into a movement – spearheaded largely by the youth, meant to amplify sentiments such as the rising unemployment rate, inefficient health systems, the skyrocketing cost of rent, poor road networks among others, which the youth say are hurting their standard of living.
But the Police Service claims that the intended demonstration which was slated for May 9, flies in the face of Covid-19 restrictions as far as public gatherings are concerned.
On May 9, the police beefed up security at the Black Star Square but the protestors took their demonstration onto Twitter.
credit: myjoyonline
