Chaos as police clash with #FixTheCountry protesters at Accra High court

• The police clashed with some sympathizers of the #FixTheCountry protest when they went to the Accra High court

• The police say it was a misunderstanding as they were not preventing them from entering the court

• The court was hearing the case brought to it by conveners of the #FixTheCountry protest

Protesters of the #FixTheCountry protest present at the Accra High court hearing a case they brought before it, have clashed with some personnel of the Ghana Police Service.

The protestors alleged that the police have been deliberately preventing them from entering the court premises, reports myjoyonline.com.

The court had scheduled an appearance for the convenors of the #FixTheCountry protests after the police secured an ex parte injunction against what was supposed to be a massive demonstration they had slated for May 9, this year.

But ahead of the court hearing, the group had, in a statement, called on sympathizers to embark on a march to the Criminal Division of the High Court to register their support and solidarity to them.

“We intend to meet up and walk together from the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Building at 9 am towards the High Court,” the group announced in that statement.

The group also described the recent actions against it as a ‘state-sponsored barrage of roadblocks and public gagging.’

However, the protestors say they have been resolute in following through on these court hearings because they want accountability.

But, the call for a peaceful march turned chaotic that the presiding judge on the case had to put the case on hold to allow the lawyers of the agitating youth to intervene.

State Attorneys told the media that the protestors showed up in a threatening manner, for which reason they got the police to intervene.

Speaking for the police, ACP Kwasi Ofori explained that their intention was to calm the agitating protesters first, before allowing them into the court yard, but it was misconstrued as though the personnel were preventing them from accessing the building.

“My Commanders on the ground indicated that this is a court premise and that people should not come in a mass group. However, individually they can come to the court. But looking at the premises the police are here to provide security for the court building and all the other courts therein.

“And so coming here in a group with placards and other paraphernalia, among other things may mar the beauty and ethics of the court. In view of this, my men on the ground decided among other things engaged them so that they leave their placards and limit that militancy and go to the court as individuals,” he explained.

The #FixTheCountry hashtag started as an online protest which metamorphosed into a movement – spearheaded largely by the youth, meant to amplify sentiments such as the rising unemployment rate, inefficient health systems, the skyrocketing cost of rent, poor road networks among others, which the youth say are hurting their standard of living, reports myjoyonline.com.