Deborah Enyonam Dabor, a spokesperson for Democracy Hub, the organizers of the Occupy Julorbi House demonstration, has emotionally revealed the brutalities they were subjected to amidst tears during an interview immediately after they were released.
She said in an interview with TV 3’s Alfred Ocansey on Ghana Tonight on Thursday, September 21, 2023, that she felt unsafe as a citizen of the country as a result of the police’s actions, which included not only preventing the protest from happening but also arresting, torturing, and detaining the protesters.
She pleaded with the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Dr. George Akuffo Dampare, in a heartfelt message to stop forcing the demonstrators against the wall because they were unarmed and only carrying placards.
“I am tired. We’re tired. You’re pushing us against the wall. We don’t want to fight. We don’t wanna fight! We’re just holding placards. Please, don’t push us to the wall. You’re beating us. You don’t want us to cry? Our men can no longer provide for their homes.
“The men can no longer talk because if they talk it’s worse. Look at us! Do we need to sleep around to take care of our families? Please we are educated. It’s national. Please can we have some? Don’t hoard it? Don’t be greedy, eh!…,” she lamented.
Meanwhile, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has expressed displeasure and worry over the alleged use of excessive force against demonstrators taking part in the unsuccessful Occupy Jubilee House protest in the early hours of Thursday, September 21, 2023.
The NDC expressed its sadness at the police’s deployment of such forceful measures in a press release released by its general secretary, Fifi Fiavi Kwetey.
The Inspector General of Police’s (IGP) continuous efforts to turn the Ghana Police Service into a preeminent organization are in direct conflict, according to the NDC, with this show of brute force. The party expressed sadness that the police will use violence and the restriction of human rights to handle complaints.
The NDC expressed disappointment that more peaceful paths were not explored to address the issues raised by the demonstrators as it looked back on Ghana’s 31-year democratic experience. The incident, in the party’s opinion, represents a serious setback for Ghana’s democracy.
The NDC also demanded that individuals who have been detained in connection with the protest be released immediately and urged the police to handle such situations with professionalism and discretion. The NDC expressed sympathy to protestors who had been hurt or detained by the police as a sign of unity. The party invited other progressive groups to join the NDC in supporting individuals impacted by the police actions financially and in other ways.
