The police have denied manhandling or beating any of the #OccupyJulorbiHouse protesters on Thursday in the course of their arrest.
“In the course of the arrest, nobody was manhandled or beaten,” a statement relating the facts from the police side said.
“In the night of same day, 21st September 2023, all those arrested were released to go and none was kept in Police cells.”
This comes contrary to heckling and beatings of the protesters arrested at the 37 lorry station while they were getting ready to march to the Jubilee House.
After their arrests, some lawyers and journalists reported of being manhandled and beaten at the Accra Regional Headquarters in their quest to have access to those arrested.
But the police, in absolving themselves from any physical assaults on the protesters, said their actions “were in line with the law and order”.
The police gave details of how Democracy Hub wrote to notify them of the protest and how they, in turn, “informed the Organisers that the Jubilee House among other places are security installations/facilities”.
They said there was a disagreement as the organisers insisted on embarking on the demonstration at the Jubilee House.
“Considering the ensued disagreement, the Police on 19th September, 2023 filed an application to prohibit the Organisers from holding the planned demonstration at the Jubilee House from 21st September, 2023,” the police said.
“The application which is slated for determination on 26th September, 2023, was sucessfully served on the lawyers of the Organisers ie: Atuguba & Associate.
“The service of the process on the lawyers was elected and dictated by the Organisers in their notification letter to the Police dated 4th September, 2023.
“The process was served by a court bailiff and there is a proof of service on the court file and the Police can only get copy of the proof of service upon application.
“The Police after the service informed the public on the pendency of the application before the Court and as such disregard any invitation by the Organisers to partake in any unlawful demonstration.
“On Thursday 21st September 2023, some of the demonstrators showed up to undertake the demonstration supposed not to be held due to the pendency of the application before the court.
“Subsequently, the demonstrators who showed up within the vicinity of the Jubilee House and around their starting point at 37 were arrested for unlawful assembly and breach of the Public Order Act.”
Meanwhile, the protesters are back at the 37 lorry station to continue their action.
Some police officers have been spotted at the scene as well.