Police have charged participants in the Dec. 17 protest in central Monrovia with multiple offenses, including rioting, criminal conspiracy, obstruction of a highway and failure to disperse.
The suspects were brought before the Monrovia City Magisterial Court on Tuesday and spent the day in the courtroom before being released on bail, according to organizers.
Mulbah Morlu, chairman of Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND) and the leader of the demonstration, responded from the courtroom describing the charges as “fabricated” and a bid to silence dissent.
In a statement released to the public while still in court, Morlu said protesters had cooperated with police after being summoned as “persons of interest,” only to be “ambushed” with what he called “laughable, trumped-up charges.”
The charge sheet lists obstruction of a highway, failure to disperse, criminal facilitation, rioting and criminal conspiracy. Morlu accused authorities of using the arrests to distract from other high-profile controversies and described the move as “state sanctioned persecution” intended to intimidate voices critical of the government.
The Dec. 17 demonstration, organized by STAND, drew hundreds who marched toward the Executive Mansion to deliver a petition to President Joseph Boakai. Protesters decried alleged corruption, poor governance, worsening economic conditions and what they described as nepotism within the administration.
Witnesses said police formed barricades near the Executive Mansion and fired tear gas to disperse the crowd after tensions escalated. Several protesters were detained during the confrontation, and STAND organizers said they were prevented from presenting their petition.
Protesters carried placards criticizing government spending priorities and alleging secrecy in procurement processes. “Things are hard even though President Boakai promised to rescue us,” one marcher, Marie Gibson, said, blaming economic hardship for forcing parents to keep children out of school.
