Jubilee House Demo: Police, Demonstrators Give Different Accounts On Alleged Brutalities

The #OccupyJulorBiHouse demonstration organised on September 21, 2023, by the pressure group Democracy Hub to demand better governance for Ghana has been shrouded in drama.

Protesters have accused the police of abuse, harassment and suppression after 49 suspects were arrested for unlawful assembly and violating the Public Order Act.

The police said they were arrested after they defied a court order prohibiting them from protesting in the vicinity of the Jubilee House and the 37 Military Hospital area, a claim denied by the conveners.

According to some of the protesters, including Ghanaian media personality Bridget Otoo, they were beaten up by the police for participating in the demonstration.

Recounting the events, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, one of the leading organisers of the #OccupyJulorBiHouse protest, alleged that the police seized their mobile phones, house and car keys, among other personal belongings besides the abuse.

This has sparked outrage from individuals and groups who have condemned the actions of the police.

Prominent among these groups are the Minority in Parliament, the National Media Commission (NMC), the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) and Amnesty International Ghana.

In a statement describing the development as ruthless and barbaric, the Minority asserted that the police’s actions were condemnable and disgraceful and should not be tolerated.

They expressed their profound disappointment with the methods employed by the Ghana Police Service, describing it as outdated and regressive.

The police have, however, refuted claims that they brutalised the protestors.

According to them, nobody was manhandled or beaten during the arrest, and they were all released the same day.

Recounting the events leading up to the day, the police disclosed that on September 4, 2023, they received the notice to the effect that the group would embark on a demonstration at the Jubilee House from Thursday, 21st to Saturday, 23rd September 2023.

During discussions on the modalities and security, police informed the organisers that the Jubilee House, among other places, is a security installation and requested that they relocate the demonstration in the interest of public safety, among others.

The organisers, however, declined, which led to the filing of an application to prohibit them from holding the planned demonstration at the Jubilee House.

A statement from the police on Wednesday, September 20, said, “As we wait for the court to determine the matter, we wish to urge the public to take note and disregard any calls from any individual or groups encouraging them to assemble for a demonstration at the Jubilee House”.

The police insist that their actions align with the law as the Inspector General of Police(IGP) has intervened, and he met with organisers to find a common ground.

Meanwhile, the demonstration is on its second day.