By Daniel Garteh
The Liberia National Police has condemned the Tuesday October 15, 2019 protest by the Monrovia Consolidated School System students in Monrovia-terming it “violation” of others right.
A release on the Facebook page of the LNP says that the action by the students was in violation of the constitution of Liberia and the rights of other citizens.
The Liberia National Police again warns some Liberians who are in the constant habit of setting road blocks thereby denying other Liberians their Constitutional rights to Freedom of Unhindered Movement as guaranteed under Article 13 of the 1986 Constitution of Liberia.
It added that the LNP view said actions as becoming very prevalent among citizens who see illegal protest as a way of calling the attention of government to their plights.
The LNP claimed that there are several proactive approaches that can be employed by citizens in ensuring that their plights are addressed instead of engaging themselves into actions that infringe on the rights of other peaceful citizens and undermining the peace and security of the state.
“As much as the LNP remains respecter of the fundamental rights of citizens, it is the responsibility of every Liberian to combine efforts with national security actors in protecting the fragile peace the country enjoys”, the release said.
The release explained that the preservation of the country’s peace yields a lot of economic results thereby drastically boosting employment opportunities for ordinary Liberians.
“It is in this vein that the LNP condemns the actions on the parts of students of the MCSS School System who took to the streets on Tuesday, October 15, 2019 in demand of salary payment to their instructors.
The LNP release said that the MCSS students became very violent, throwing stones at officers and exchanging stones with private school students resulting to the damaging of the sliding glasses at the JJ Roberts United Methodist High School.
According to the Police communication, the students also moved on the campuses of high schools in Central Monrovia including the SDA Camp Johnson Road, Richard Nixon High School, Levi Williams, and disrupted normal academic activities.
“They also set up road blocks at the Foreign Ministry thereby causing inconvenience for the Free Movement of the President’s convoy and other Liberians who were traveling in and out of central Monrovia.”
The Police communication further stated that it was due to the violent conduct of the rampaging MCSS students, the LNP used tear gas in dispersing them thereby restoring calm to Central Monrovia and its environs.
Thirteen students who got affected from the tear gas were taken to SD Cooper Hospital and were subsequently discharged and released to their parents.
The LNP urges Liberians to take advantage of the rule of law in championing their grievances instead of engaging themselves into acts that violate other people’s rights.
