Police stop #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstration, arrest several protestors

Organizers of the #OccupiedJubileeHouse protest in Ghana found themselves in police custody after staging a demonstration that flouted a police request for an injunction. The protest was originally scheduled to take place at the Jubilee House, the country’s governmental seat.

As the protest march commenced, authorities intervened and detained the organizers. Democracy Hub, the group behind the demonstrations, had planned a series of protests near the Jubilee House spanning from September 21 to 23, 2023.

However, the police released a statement indicating that they had submitted an application for an injunction in court and were awaiting a decision before taking any further action regarding the protests.

Democracy Hub expressed its disappointment in what they referred to as “partisan attempts by the Police to disrupt peaceful and democratic mobilization” for their forthcoming “Occupy Jubilee House picket.” Consequently, the group advised the public to disregard the police notification and encouraged them to join the protest at the 37 Trotro Station on Thursday, September 21.

Meanwhile, during the planning stages of the protest, the police apprehended three organizers affiliated with Democracy Hub, identified as Simon Kudjo, Kojo Ackah, and Kwami Dzata. They were taken into custody on allegations of participating in an “illegal” protest.

According to the Accra Regional Police Command, the three individuals had violated the Public Order Act, which mandates that protest organizers notify and receive approval from the police before holding a protest. The authorities argued that because the Democracy Hub organizers had failed to secure this permit, their planned protest was deemed unlawful and in contravention of the law.

In response to the arrests, the police issued a stern warning to the public, emphasizing the necessity of obtaining permissions before organizing protests. Additionally, they cautioned that those detained would face legal consequences for their alleged offenses.

The incident underscores the ongoing debate over the right to protest and the legal obligations placed on such activities under the Public Order Act, leaving questions about the future of the #OccupiedJubileeHouse protest and the potential legal consequences faced by the detained organizers.

BY Moses Desire Kouyo