The Dean of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College, Prof. Vladimir Antwi-Danso, has criticised some actions of the Democracy Hub demonstrators.
The security expert has described some of the developments during the Accra protest as unlawful.
According to him, the decision by convenor Oliver Barker-Vormawor to remove the key from a police vehicle leaves much to be desired.
“You can’t do this anywhere in the world and go scot-free. What right did that person have to enter a police vehicle and ignite it, with the hope of doing what? To be honest with you, I was appalled,” he said.
Speaking to JoyNews, the security expert emphasised the need for peaceful and lawful expressions of dissent, even when addressing important national issues like illegal mining.
“I can’t even believe that any good person believing in democracy as they call themselves, Democracy Hub and that it is a democratic right to enter a police vehicle and try to use it, or whatever it is. This is criminal honestly speaking,” he added.
A Circuit Court in Accra has remanded fifty-one people as of Thursday, September 26 in both prison and policy custody.
This follows their involvement in the recent three-day #StopGalamseyNow and #ReOccupyJulorbiHouse demonstrations organised by Democracy Hub.
Meanwhile, a member of the legal team representing the Democracy Hub protesters, Noah Adamtey has alleged that the state is not interested in ensuring justice in the prosecution of his clients.
He claims that the state’s focus is on punishing the protesters to prevent them from protesting against the galamsey issue.
In an interview on Joy FM’s Top Story on Thursday, September 26, Mr Adamtey stated that the remanded protesters were denied access to their lawyers, which is a constitutional right.
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