Barker-Vormawor makes U-turn, says #FixTheCountry did not plan armed demo

Group plans demonstration on June 4

Police secures injunction against June 4 demo

Planned June 4 demo organisers write to police to allow it use personal security

There is a new twist to the statements made by a Convener of the #FixTheCountry Movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, with regards to the group's intended June 4 demonstration in Accra.

According to the outspoken leader,

Read full article.contrary to the assertion that they had planned to embark on an armed demonstration as was reported by the police in a statement, all they rather wanted was for permission to use private security for their protection.

“I was at a press conference and people started calling me, saying, we were going to do an armed demonstration. At no point did we say we wanted to do an armed demonstration.

“What we are saying is that we want a private security protection and if any weapon is held by them it is going to be licensed by the Arms and Ammunition Decree,” 3news.com quoted him as having said.

Earlier, it had been reported that the demonstrators, including broadcasters Captain Smart and Okatakyie Afrifa, had asked the police to allow them to carry their own registered weapons to the protest. They also requested that the Service allows them use private security.

“We will bring our own security company to provide protection to demonstrators. All weapons held by demonstrators or by the contracted security personnel will be for personal protection only; and all weapons will be duly permitted in accordance with the Arms and Ammunitions Act, 1972 (NRCD 9) e) Proposed route and destination: We expect that the Demonstrators will gather at Circle,” the statement said.

Thereafter, Captain Smart, who was one of the initial leaders of the planned demo, came out to state that he was not aware of the contents of the letter and that he disagreed with its content.

He then made it clear that he no longer wanted to be associated with the demonstration because of their disregard for his role and for their attempts at instigating violence through the public action.

There had also been widespread condemnations of the news that the group wanted to use weapons for their demonstration.

One of such persons was the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. He said the leaders of the planned June 4 armed demonstration must be condemned for contemplating this “disastrous path — they must stop it or be stopped!

“Violence and the use of Guns by demonstrators cannot be acceptable in any democratic society. Leaders of the June 4 demonstration must be condemned for contemplating this disastrous path — they must stop it or be stopped!” he noted in a tweet.

The Ghana Police Service however secured an injunction on the demonstration, restraining the group from going ahead with its plan.