Monrovia, #Liberia — Political activist and protest leader Mulbah Morlu has issued a strong message to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai ahead of the planned December 17 protest in Monrovia, vowing that demonstrators will assemble peacefully at the Executive Mansion and maintain a sustained, nonviolent presence until their demands are addressed.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, Morlu reminded the President and state authorities that peaceful protest at the Executive Mansion cannot be lawfully banned, noting that President Boakai himself, along with leaders of the former Collaborating Political Parties (CPP), protested at the same location during the 2019 and 2020 demonstrations against the previous administration.
“We reminded President Boakai that peaceful protest at the Executive Mansion cannot be banned; he did it there himself in 2019 and 2020,” Morlu said. “Hence, we will assemble peacefully at the Executive Mansion the same seat of power where others before us assembled openly.”
According to Morlu, the December 17 protest will differ from previous demonstrations in both form and duration. He said protesters intend to remain at the Executive Mansion grounds in a deliberate and sustained manner, emphasizing patience, discipline, and nonviolence.
In a symbolic gesture, Morlu announced that women participating in the protest described as “brave and patriotic mothers and sisters”will bring pots and spoons, not to incite disorder, but to provide food and care for protesters as the action continues.
“They are not coming for chaos,” he said. “They are coming to cook and care for our people as we maintain a nonviolent, people-powered resistance until our just demands are met.”
Morlu further stated that protesters plan to eat lunch and dinner at the Executive Mansion on December 17, calmly waiting for the President, whom he described as “a servant of the people,” to listen to their concerns.
The protest leader also raised concerns about security preparations, alleging that Inspector General of Police Gregory Coleman recently traveled to Sierra Leone and Rwanda to lobby for tear gas and other crowd-control equipment. He warned that the use of such measures against peaceful demonstrators would be a serious and dangerous error.
“Deploying tear gas or bullets against peaceful citizens would be a grave and reckless mistake,” Morlu cautioned.
He stressed that organizers have no intention of initiating violence and that the protest will remain lawful, disciplined, and nonviolent. However, he made it clear that protesters will not be intimidated into backing down.
“We will never initiate violence,” Morlu said. “Our protest is peaceful, lawful, and disciplined. But we will not retreat, and we will not surrender to fear.”
Morlu concluded by framing the December 17 action as an act of peaceful resistance, calling on Liberians to stand firm and united in pursuit of their demands.
“This is peaceful resistance firm, united, and unafraid,” he declared.
The Liberia National #police and the Executive Mansion have not yet issued official responses to the statements made at the press conference.
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