A Security Policy Expert, Anthony Acquaye has raised concerns about what he describes as the frustration of citizens from exercising their constitutional right to peaceful protest, stating that it could potentially lead to civil disorder.
This comes after a peaceful demonstration, organised by concerned citizens and activists, took a violent turn when the police moved to arrest some of the protestors for purportedly violating a court order against the march.
Acquaye in a statement urged the Ghana Police Service to recognize that the peace and stability of the country during these challenging times is dependent largely on how the officers approached their duties, especially when dealing with citizens intending to demonstrate peacefully.
“It is imperative for the Ghana Police Service to understand that the peace of Ghana in this hard time depends largely on how the establishment enforces it authority, with the right attitudinal approach of its personnel in exerting the powers given to them by the 1992 constitution, most especially in handling citizens who intend to exercise their constitutional right through peaceful demonstration” he stated.
Also, the security expert cautioned against the abuse and arrest of demonstrators exercising their rights.
He noted that it could draw significant attention on social media, mobilizing more citizens to join the protests and making it challenging for law enforcement to maintain control, ultimately resulting in civil disorder.
“Again, the abuse and the arrest of this demonstrators in exercising their right can catalyze social media attention which can attract many citizens to hit the street to make it difficult for the institution to command and control, and as a result may lead to civil disorder.
“In my expect viewpoint the effort by the Police institution to use the legal approach to stop the Democracy Hub from demonstrating through the application letter claimed to have been served their lawyers came very late, aside its legal disagreement by both parties, and so therefore, the Police should have managed to contain them with all the necessary tactics to aid them peaceful to their final destination, since clearly it was too late for the organizers to reached up to all their members to call off the scheduled demonstration and further engage them” he added.
Source: ghanaweb.com
