-Rep Gray, SUP clash
Repeated attacks on state officials and individuals with close ties to the George Weah regime by students of the Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP) at the University of Liberia, were met with stiff resistance by supporters led by Montserrado County District #8 Representative Acarous Moses Gray resulting in total mayhem on Monday as students ran helter-skelter.
Rep. Gray had announced a planned lunch visit to the campus days earlier following the latest assault on Mr. Aloysius Howe, a Special aide to Finance and Development Planning Minister Samuel Tweah.
The attack on Mr. Howe was the six in a series of attacks on government officials by stewards of SUP. The students had chased former Minister of State for Presidential Affairs Nathaniel F. McGill off campus during an official visit there. They also chased out Finance Minister Tweah who had also gone there on an official function.
With no suspension and punishment from university authorities, the students went on to attack Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor chasing her off campus after she had gone there to launch a program. Weeks later, they disgracefully chased out former Solicitor General Saymah Cyrenius Cephus.
Howe, the latest victim sustained injuries and his vehicle damaged in the process.
The students have made the University's main campus a no-go zone for members of the governing Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), its members in government, and those affiliating with the regime.
Monday's bloody clash came as Rep. Gray planned lunch on the campus prompted his supporters and members of SUP to trade threats.
During Gray's visit to the UL campus as planned, clashes erupted and left many persons injured as SUP members attempted to resist the supporters of the CDC lawmaker in a failed attempt.
The situation got messy when opposition lawmaker Yekeh Kolubah and his supporters later appeared on the UL Capitol Hill campus under the guise of defending members of SUP who had been outnumbered and subdued by supporters loyal to Rep. Gray.
The situation was taken advantage of by members of the disadvantaged youth referred to her as "Zogoes" creating a chaotic scene.
Normal academic and administrative activities were disrupted, forcing the UL Administration to cancel all activities for Monday. There were several injuries and property damage during the clashes when SUP members attempted to resist Gray and his supporters.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The rival parties engaged in a rock battle. SUP militants threw rocks, and other harmful objects at supporters of Rep. Gray. Gray's supporters counter-attacked and overpowered the students, leaving several wounded.
While Gray and his supporters were celebrating victory, they suddenly left the campus to avoid further clashes as reports of Montserrado County Electoral District #10 Representative Yekeh Kolubah and his supporters mixed with disadvantaged youth were headed to the protest scene.
Mr. Kolubah is a staunch critic of the CDC regime and ruthlessly reacts verbally to the government's failures.
Rep. Kolubah managed to grab a supporter of Rep. Gray only identified as Ansu Sirleaf, manhandled him, and left several bruises on his body.
The University administration cancelled all classes and related academic activities, pending investigation.
The University said its decision was based on "concern for the safety of students, faculty, and staffers on Campus."
It added that the decision to cancel classes also arouse out of the safety of the public while expressing regret over the situation.
