According to him, the violence that occurred during their protest was premeditated by the police as they fired rubber bullets and tear gas at protestors without provocation.
“The police started firing rubber bullets and tear gas towards us… We were addressing the demonstrators, only for us to realize that they had started shooting into the van. The bullet hit people. Asiedu Nketiah laid flat in the vehicle. Ofosu Ampofo fell when he attempted to go off the track... We did everything to contain the situation, but the police did everything to scatter us, and they succeeded. We are continuing with our demonstration. We have a two-day demonstration.
“Why will you come at us with such violence? The public order act does not allow you to tell us where we should use and what time to start. The demonstrators did not move and the police shot at them," Citinewsroom.com quoted Bernard Mornarh.
Arise Ghana began a historic two-day demonstration on June 28 to primarily protest persistent and astronomical hikes in fuel prices by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government that has imposed excruciating economic hardships on Ghanaians.
In a statement by Sammy Gyamfi, it adds that the protest is to also oppose the imposition of the obnoxious E-Levy on the already-burdened Ghanaian people by the insensitive Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government and demand a full-scale and bi-partisan parliamentary probe into COVID-19 expenditures.
Others are to protest the grabbing of state lands by officials of the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government, particularly the de-classification of huge portions of the Achimota Forest Reserve.
The rest are to protest the increased rate of police brutalities and state-sponsored killings of innocent Ghanaians, as well as the growing culture of human rights abuses under the watch of President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, and demand the total cancellation of the fraudulent “Agyapa” deal.
The group started its first day of demonstrations on June 28, 2022, starting from the Kwame Nkrumah Circle Interchange/Obra Spot, but chaos erupted when protestors pelted stones at the police.
In retaliation, the police also fired tear gas and rubber bullets, injuring scores of protestors.
Despite these happenings, the group says it will go ahead with its protest, which is expected to start at El-Wak Sports stadium and end at Parliament House.
Meanwhile, the police have announced the arrest of 29 people in connection with violent incidents that marred the Arise Ghana demonstration at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.
According to a statement dated June 28 and signed by Chief Superintendent Grace Ansah-Akrofi, Director of Public Affairs, the police were also reviewing available footage with the view to making more arrests if need be.
"The Police have arrested 29 demonstrators for their participation in violent attacks on the police and some members of the public, including school children, during the Arise Ghana demonstration in Accra,” the June 28, 2022 statement added.
Arise Ghana movement organizer, Bernard Mornah
