The Police have arrested 29 demonstrators for their alleged participation in violent attacks on the Police and some of the public including school children during the Arise Ghana demonstration in Accra on Monday, 28 June 2022.
The Police said it is reviewing all available video footages and all persons identified for taking part in the attacks as well as inciting violence will be arrested and brought to justice.
The Police in a statement also disclosed that the organisers of the demonstration will be arrested and put before court for the attacks and damage to public property, in line with the provisions of Section 3 of the Public Order Act, (Act 491).
The demonstration turned chaotic when the Police and the organisers failed to reach an agreement over the route to use.
The Police alleged that without any provocation, the demonstrators began pelting them with stones and injured 12 Police officers who were treated in the Police Mobile Hospitals and later transferred to the Police Hospital for further treatment. Some Police vehicles were also damaged.
The Police said the demonstrators also regrouped and burnt tires on the road around the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.
The Police noted that it no option but to use tear gas and water cannons to subdue the rioting and restore order.
Meanwhile, the demonstrators insist the Police attacked them first without any provocation.
Organisers of the Arise Ghana demonstration were marching against the persistent and astronomical hikes in fuel prices among others.
Earlier the General of Police (IGP), Dr George Akuffo Dampare, had cautioned his men against any form of misconduct.
He urged his men to treat the demonstrators as they – the law enforcers – wish to be treated “if they were on the other side”.
Dr Dampare cautioned them to be as professional as they can and demonstrate to the world that Ghana is a beacon of democracy.
He said: “We should continue to remember that those demonstrators are human beings like us, those demonstrators are Ghanaians like us, they are our brothers and sisters and, therefore, we should treat them with all the respect, civility and the dignity each and every human being deserves”.
“In effect, we should treat them the way we would like to be treated if we were on the other side”.
The IGP explained: “It means, as you go out there, if anybody needs help, help the person; do that joyously, do that with love, do that with a sense of humility and humanity and as you do that you win the hearts of the demonstrators…”
Source: Classfmonline.com
