Monrovia – Monrovia Metropolis Police on Thursday stopped a hearse and forcibly opened a casket carrying the stays of a deceased man en path to burial, citing heightened safety considerations associated to the continued “Sufficient is Sufficient” protest.
By Jaheim T. Tumu. [email protected]
The incident occurred close to the College of Liberia campus on Capitol Hill and has drawn widespread condemnation, notably from grieving members of the family who say the federal government’s tightened safety measures are crossing the road into harassment and disrespect—even in demise.
“We’re disillusioned. We had all of the papers. They noticed the demise certificates, but they nonetheless opened our father’s casket in entrance of everybody,” mentioned one member of the family, visibly shaken with grief and anger.
Metropolis cops, defending their actions, claimed they have been beneath strict orders to examine any suspicious transport coming into the capital, particularly within the wake of what they described as “intelligence reviews” of potential weapons smuggling.
“We thought it may very well be a cache of weapons, so we needed to examine,” one officer mentioned, justifying the controversial choice.
Regardless of protests and pleas from the household, officers pressured open the casket on the roadside, in full public view—an motion that many described as deeply traumatizing and culturally insensitive.
The incident comes amid ongoing main protest organized by Solidarity and Belief for a New Day (STAND) and its associates beneath the theme “Sufficient is Sufficient.” Organizers have accused the Boakai-Koung administration of ignoring pressing nationwide points resembling poverty, insecurity, and what they name “institutional vanity” towards atypical Liberians.
In the meantime, riot police have begun take a look at deployments throughout Capitol Hill, together with water cannon trials and dispersal tactic rehearsals close to the Govt Mansion and Capitol Constructing, signaling the federal government’s preparation for the mass demonstration.
The protest is predicted to peak later right this moment, with contributors calling on President Boakai to obtain their petition in individual. As safety intensifies, many are elevating considerations about extreme drive and civil rights violations beneath the guise of sustaining order.
