Lawyer and social media influencer Ama Governor, along with more than a dozen other protesters arrested during the #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstration over the weekend, appeared in an Accra court today. The group was transported in a bus under heavy police escort. Their arrests occurred during a three-day protest at the 37 Roundabout, where demonstrators expressed concerns over issues such as illegal small-scale mining (galamsey) and economic mismanagement.
On Sunday, September 22nd, tensions escalated into a major clash between Democracy Hub protesters and the Ghana Police Service during the second day of the demonstration. As Ama Governor was escorted into the courtroom, she shouted, "Emancipate yourselves from mental slavery."
The protesters’ lawyers informed the court that they had not been made aware of the specific reasons for their arrests. In court, the demonstrators were charged with conspiracy to commit a crime, specifically unlawful assembly.
On the first day of the protest, September 21, 2024, demonstrators clashed with police, who worked to prevent further escalation. However, the second day turned violent as protesters defied police directives to avoid certain routes. Prior to the demonstrations, the police announced a special operation that blocked major roads leading to the Jubilee House, the seat of government, which protesters intended to occupy.
Several prominent Ghanaians joined the protest to voice their dissatisfaction with the government's failure to address illegal mining (galamsey), which is devastating the country's forests and water bodies, posing a serious threat to the lives of its citizens.
Credit:GhOne,Pulse.
