An Accra High Court has restrained organisers of the much publicised #FixtheCountry protest, which was scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 9. The order, under the signature of Justice Ruby Ayetey, stated that the organisers of the protest, together with their associates, officers, agents, assigns and workmen are prohibited from embarking on any demonstration on the coming Sunday, or any other date, until the restriction on public gathering is lifted by the appropriate authority.
“It is, hereby, ordered that that the Organisers/Conveners of FixTheCountry protest march, their associates, officers, agents, assigns and workmen be prohibited from embarking on any demonstration on Sunday 9th May, 2021, or any other date, until the restriction on public gathering is lifted by the appropriate authority.”
Information gathered by The Chronicle suggests that the organisers of the protest have been duly served with the court order. The prohibition order comes after Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Benjamin Addae of the Regional Police Headquarters, Accra, filed an affidavit on May 5 in support of a Motion Ex-parte for an Order for Prohibition against the organisers of #Fixthecountry protest march, pursuant to Section 1(6) of the public order Act, 1994 (Act 491).
The police decision to proceed to court stems from insistence of the organisers to proceed with the protest with or without police permission.
#FixTheCountry is a social media craze mounting pressure on the government to, as it has been described, “solve issues affecting the country.” They cite unstable power and unemployment among others.
The movement started as a normal trend on Facebook and Twitter, but later metamorphosed into a plan to mobilise protesters onto the streets of the capital, Accra.
The announcement of the demonstration was hugely endorsed, as several people expressed interest in attending.
The organisers later shared a notice they had sent to the police, notifying the law enforcement agency of their intension to hit the streets.
Stating their intent onr the demonstration, the group indicated that they were out to express their frustration over a string of consistent broken promises by successive governments, perennial governmental incompetence, refusal and/or inability to fix the country.
But the Greater Accra Regional Operations Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kwasi Fori, says there was no way for the demonstration.
Giving reasons why the permission for the demonstration could not be granted, Mr Fori said the imposition of the Executive Instrument restricting large gatherings was the legal basis on which the police cannot provide protection for the protest.
Other reasons he gave for the disapproval was that the police could not guarantee the public safety of the protestors, as well as individuals who live in and around the areas the protest may take place.
However, this reason didn’t sit down well with associates of the protesters, as some took to social media to express their disgust and disappointment.
While some said they could not fathom why politicians organise public gatherings, but the ordinary citizens are mostly barred, others indicated that religious bodies have been allowed to hold mega-events with no precautionary measures in place.
The post Fix The Country Demo ‘Yaamutu’: High Court accepts police request to restraint organisers appeared first on The Chronicle Online.
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS