By: Jude Tackie
The Minority in Parliament has issued a scathing critique of the Ghana Police Service’s actions on the arrest and treatment of #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstrators on Thursday, September 21. The National Democratic Congress (NDC) MPs have described the police’s conduct as “shameful” and “unacceptable,” demanding accountability and modernization of policing methods.
In a press release dated Friday, September 22, and signed by their leader, Dr. Cassiel Ato Forson, the Minority caucus expressed profound disappointment and outrage at the Ghana Police Service’s handling of the peaceful protesters in Accra.
“The Minority in Parliament is outraged at and disappointed in the Ghana Police Service for unleashing a terror squad of police officers who on Thursday shamefully brutalized and arrested peaceful demonstrators in Accra,” the statement read.
The MPs emphasized that it is shocking and unacceptable that, in the year 2023, officers of the Ghana Police Service resorted to what they termed “backward and archaic policing methods” to suppress peaceful demonstrators who were merely exercising their lawful and constitutionally guaranteed rights.
The Minority strongly condemned the police’s actions and called on them to embrace modern policing techniques. They argued that the police’s actions during the #OccupyJulorbiHouse protest would leave a lasting stain on the reputation of the police force.
“We condemn in no uncertain terms the police officers’ ruthless and barbaric crackdown on the unarmed peaceful protestors. For a service that has been widely criticized for its partisan policing methods in recent years, and for which a parliamentary probe is currently ongoing, the 16th-century style of crackdown and terror unleashed on the peaceful protesters in Accra yesterday further tarnishes the reputation of the Ghana Police Service,” the statement declared.
The Minority MPs also highlighted the inconsistency between the police’s actions and their motto of “service with integrity,” calling for a thorough investigation into the events surrounding the protest and the subsequent crackdown.
As the #OccupyJulorbiHouse movement continues to gain momentum, the spotlight is now firmly on the Ghana Police Service, with increasing calls for transparency, accountability, and a modernization of policing methods to align with democratic values and human rights standards.
See full release below: