Police crack down on pro-democracy protests in Ghana’s capital

Protests rocked the Ghanaian capital of Accra on Thursday 21 September. Gathering near the presidential palace, known as Jubilee House, protesters called attention to corruption and mismanagement from president Nana Akufo-Addo and his government.

The demonstrations appear to have had a heavy police presence, with many protesters being arrested. Those demonstrating have decried the lack of democracy inherent in police arresting peaceful protesters.

Protest-blocking injunction

The protests were organised by an “Accra-based civil society group” known as Democracy Hub. They were timed to coincide with the birthday of Dr Kwame Nkrumah. Nkrumah became Ghana’s first president after leading the country to gain independence from British rule in 1957.

On 20 September, Ghanaian police force issued a press release saying they had filed an application against the protests. It stated:

As we wait for the court to determine the matter, we wish to urge the public to take note and disregard any calls from any individual or groups encouraging them to assemble for a demonstration at the Jubilee House,” the release said.

Ghanaian outlet Yen described the injunction as “last-minute legal attempts” from the police to stop the protests from going ahead.

Meanwhile, Democracy Hub released a statement in response, revealing that they hadn’t received notification of any such injunction.

In the statement, Democracy Hub said:

Our attention has been drawn to a last-minute press statement released by the Ghana Police Service claiming that they have filed an application to prohibit the lawful exercise of our rights to demonstrate.

We wish to put it on record that the Ghana Police Service has not served us with any application, and we are unaware of what exactly the police application is about.

We are appalled by the desperate and likely partisan attempts by the Police to disrupt peaceful and democratic mobilization for our upcoming Occupy Julorbi House picket.

The group also insisted that the protests will go ahead as planned:

We invite the general public to disregard a statement which is riddled with misinformation.

Our picket will proceed as planned.

The group also noted that the protests will allow Ghanaians to voice their opposition to “proposed military intervention in Niger as well as any other government policy decisions or initiatives”.

#OccupyJulorbiHouse

While the protests took place outside Jubilee House, organisers popularised the hashtag #OccupyJulorbiHouse. As one supporter explained:

#OccupyJulorbiHouse is a peaceful protest by Ghanaians. “Julor Bi” is a Ga phrase which means Child of a thief in English. It’s a play on the English word Jubilee House, which is the residence and office of the president of Ghana. Just in case you were wondering.

— Weffrey Jellington (@jeffwellz) September 21, 2023

Judging from the hashtag, the protests have received considerable support:

Unshaken.

Firm.

Resolute.

Others fought for the independence we enjoy today. We owe it to ourselves and the next generation to fight for a country that works.#OccupyJulorbiHouse pic.twitter.com/OJwxHv8Ucq

— Aamil (@niilexis) September 21, 2023

I stand for the motion! And with the motion!! #OccupyJulorbiHouse! But Take Care Of Yourself!! pic.twitter.com/KjwXDGSGuw

— Big Paradise (@Quophieparadise) September 21, 2023

Predictably, however, a heavy police presence is visible from video footage of the protests:

📍From the 37 Station all the way to Max Mart, there are mounted police. Moving around with horses like there’s a riot.

Let this add to the fact that this is the worst government we’ve had in our entire existence as a country.#OccupyJulorbiHouse pic.twitter.com/CPLnvQts5z

— Aamil (@niilexis) September 21, 2023

This appears to be par for the course for police in Ghana, as they also arrested dozens of protesters at an ‘Arise Ghana’ demo in June 2022:

They hijacked the #AriseGhanaDemo as well & they are doing the same thing to the #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstrators..

Be safe out there and fight for mother Ghana 💔🇬🇭🤦🏾‍♀️
pic.twitter.com/iaBpYFUqfx

— 𝒮𝒽𝑒𝒾𝓁𝒶 𝐼𝓇𝑒𝓃𝑒🤎 (@abena_mooley) September 21, 2023

Rounding up protesters

Yen reported that police arrested “scores of demonstrators” on Thursday. Video footage shared on Twitter showed officers loading protesters onto a bus marked “Ghana Police”:

Protesters are being arrested by the Police during the #OccupyJulorbiHouse demo.

“Arise Ghana Youth for your country” I rose before 7 am for this and the police said enter the car😭😭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭🇬🇭#OccupyJulorbiHouse
pic.twitter.com/n0wxtHrV0x

— 𝒮𝒽𝑒𝒾𝓁𝒶 𝐼𝓇𝑒𝓃𝑒🤎 (@abena_mooley) September 21, 2023

News channel TV3 Ghana shared video footage from arrested protester Osagyefo Oliver Barker-Vormawor, who broadcast live on Facebook from the police bus:

"We have been arrested, this is not the democracy" – Osagyefo Oliver Barker-Vormawor #OccupyJulorbiHouse #TV3GH #3NewsGH

Video Credit🎥 : Osagyefo Oliver Barker-Vormawor / Facebook pic.twitter.com/Hmgr7uGhqi

— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) September 21, 2023

Barker-Vormawor said the arrests were unlawful, adding:

We don’t know where they are taking us…

They have no right to arrest demonstrators in the country. This is not the democracy we signed up for. This is not a democracy

He also said the government was weaponising the police to suppress demonstrators.

As one commenter noted:

I'll say it again:

The @GhPoliceService continues in its deep-seated colonial upbringing and mindset that its job is to keep the peace of the elite and powerful against the pesky nuisance of the hoi polloi.

— SENYO (@Kodzo_SENYO) September 20, 2023

The organisers also plan to demonstrate on Friday and Saturday, 22 and 23 September, at Jubilee House. They said at a press conference on 19 September that logistical arrangements were in place for protesters who would want to camp at the protest site over the three days.

Featured image via Twitter