PHOTO: Militants of the CDC Council of Patriots
By Garmah Never Lomo, garmahlomo@gmail.com
Barely 24 hours after President George Weah denied that his ruling CDC has a Council of Patriots (COP), the Liberia National Police has arrested several militants of the CDC-COP who have been blamed for the violent attack on protesting students of the campus-based party, SUP of the University of Liberia in Monrovia.
The attack last Tuesday, July 26 in the diplomatic enclave of Mamba Point drew serious public outcry both locally and internationally, prompting President George Manneh Weah to one week later order the arrest of those who allegedly perpetrated the violence on Liberia’s 176th Independence Anniversary.
According to reports today, Tuesday, August 2, the Police have arrested the leaders of the group and those who are said to have carried out the bloody attack on the SUP demonstrators.
SUP protesters who had a terrible Independence Day
Earlier on Tuesday, a joint press release by the international called for the arrest of the perpetrators.
Some have criticized President Weah from distancing his ruling CDC party from the CDC COP group that carried out the attack. The exact number of those arrested is not yet known.
They say the statement issued by President Weah on Monday was “totally out of order and a complete deception by lying to the public that he doesn’t know any group called CDC-COP which is a complete a myth.”
Prior to last Tuesday’s violent attack, the CDC COP had been actively featured in a number of programs organized by the ruling party and they have been given extensive coverage by the state owned media and other pro-government media institutions.
Their officials and militants have been seen actively interacting with top CDC and government officials at public functions as well without any disclaimer.
They are regularly wearing CDC blue and red berets and other paraphernalia.