A near-peaceful protest against the sale of Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) hotels to Rock City Hotel, owned by Agric Minister Bryan Acheampong, turned chaotic due to an altercation between police and demonstrators.
Some protesters were pepper-sprayed and tear-gassed by law enforcement officers.
A video sighted online shows an officer raising his hand above a human shield created by the police and releasing pepper spray into a crowd of advancing protesters.
The exact cause of the protesters’ aggressive behaviour towards the police is unclear. However, the lead convenor of the demonstration, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who is also the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, accused the police of acting in bad faith.
“The police demonstrated bad faith, and I have told the regional police commander, ‘You don’t invite me to your office on June 12, and we agree on the route, modalities, and terminating point. You told me clearly that it would end at Christ the King Parish, and it was communicated to the demonstrators,'” he told Starr News in an interview.
According to the North Tongu MP, things could have been worse if the protesters had not demonstrated maturity in response to the unnecessary provocation by the police.
“Only God knows what would have happened. I have told the police hierarchy that when we return to parliament, they will receive a nice message from us about why they demonstrated such bad faith and why they engaged in the needless provocation,” Mr. Ablakwa added.
Mr. Ablakwa further stated that the minority would utilise parliamentary processes to hold the Ghana Police Service accountable.