-Some of the wounded in hospital after Monday’s violence
By Garmah Never Lomo,garmahlomo@gmail.com
Tuesday’s public school students’ protest in Monrovia marked “the end of the honeymoon period for protests” was how President George Manneh Weah’s Deputy Spokesman put it on local radio, but that end ended in a bloody fashion.
The students of the Monrovia Consolidated School System (MCSS) accused the police of brutalizing them, describing the police crackdown, charging them with batons and teargas as “uncivilized”.
As they set up roadblocks, they chanted anti-government slogans including: “George Weah paid Zogos, he can’t pay teachers,” recounting the CDC’s Standard Bearer’s last Christmas and New Year’s Seasons gift of five thousand Liberian dollars to each of the hundreds of “Zogoes”. At the time, the government was in few months of salary arrears with government workers.
But Deputy Press Secretary Mr. Smith Toby accused the students of being violent and “banging” on the vehicle of President Weah, justifying why the Liberian leader did not disembark to listen to their cry for government to pay their teachers who have been boycotting the classrooms.
Tuesday’s Public school students’ protest, that ended violent and in bloodshed in and around Monrovia, has left a number of students injured, some hospitalized.
According to the students, they were about to start their first period test when their instructors laid down chalk in demand of their two months salaries and other benefits.
Students from all public schools in Monrovia and its environs stormed the seat of the President calling his attention on the salaries of their instructors.
Students from elementary to senior high were seen on the streets disrupting normal academic activities at other private schools, because it is the private schools where most of the government officials’ children are attending.
The students moved to the Camp Johnson road SDA High School in central Monrovia, J. J. Roberts School in Sinkor, Stella Maris Polytenic kicking at their fence and several others schools were affected by stoning.
This Reporter and other eyewitness said they saw students being mercilessly beaten by Liberia National Police Offcers, leaving several wounded at the Foreign Ministry (President Weah’s temporary offices) and several others were arrested and detainedl for their participation in their protest.
It was observed during the protest, police officers were talking among students spraying tear gas at students leaving several of them injuries by police.
Police brutality led to splitting of the one of the students head while the one of them was beaten on his hand severely and another female was beaten by police office with the gun and another female shoe was taken from her foot by police officers.
The students again at 12th street were stoning police officers which led them to throw tear gas in the community leaving several persons affected.
Speaking in an interview with community leader, who said he saw his colleagues stoning at the J. J Roberts school which he advise them and at the result of the tear gas his daughter was affected and his granmother who vow not to vote for president again at the result of the police action.
The tear gas threw by police officer in the 12th street community left a pregnant woman conversing and hospital around the area like the SD. Cooper hospital nurses were complaining of tear gas threw by police which affected them and patient admitted at the hospital.
Montserrado County Senator Darius Dillon told Journalists that students taking up the street is a clear message by itself to the government.
Senator Dillon disclosed that the government should always be on time in paying salaries of government employees adding that people should not always protest before their problems are solved.
According to Senator Dillon, he went to intervene by going to office of Minister of State Nathaniel Mcgill to see how to find solutions to the student quest but was told by Minister McGill that he was expecting him therefore he cannot talk to him.
He described the police brutality against the students as unacceptable because students came to protest for their rights in their own interests.
Meanwhile, the Liberian government on Tuesday announced that it has begun paying the MCSS teachers.