By Hajaratu Kalokoh
The Sierra Leone Police has warned against any planned protest within the capital without permission from them. The warning comes in the wake of a social media message which has gone viral, trying to rally people to turn out and demonstrate against the current government of President Julius Maada Bio.
Police made the warning during a press conference at their Headquarters in Freetown.
The group that is organizing the protest is known as Concerned Citizens.
The planned protest is supposed to take place on 19 September 2109, across the street of Freetown. The group have not written the Police directly. The police’s response is as a result of social media circulation of the protest message.
Police officials said that the organizers of the mass protest stated that they wanted to express their dissatisfaction regarding the state of the current economic situation in the country, the increase in violence, tribalism, oppression and humiliation of opposition members and supporters, especially the main opposition All Peoples Congress (APC) party.
Community Affairs Director, Assistant Inspector General Kalia Sesay said in a press briefing that the organizers of the planned protests should be reminded of the Public Order Act and should follow the right path and also seek an engagement with the Inspector General of the Police on the said matter.
"We want the executive members of the APC to distance and disassociate their party from these planned protests and to further warn their members and supporters from participating in these so-called protests, as violators would be dealt with orderly," he said.
Sierra Leone Police has a history of not granting permission for anti-government protests. It has in the past clamped down on protests organized by people who they claimed have not sought clearance from them. This is something that have provoked debate in the past between Human Right defenders and the force.
We have not been able to reach the organizers of this planned protest because they did not identify themselves personally.
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