Thursday's protest calling for action on corruption and poverty turned violent when demonstrators hurled stones at Sen. Momo T. Cyrus, injuring two police officers and forcing the lawmaker to retreat under heavy guard.
Cyrus, chairman of the Senate Committee on Defense and Security, had approached the "Enough is Enough" protest to receive a petition when the crowd erupted, rejecting him as a legitimate intermediary and demanding that only President Joseph Boakai or Vice President Jeremiah Koung accept their grievances.
The senator later condemned the protest leaders as "uncivilized, chaotic, and without any clear mandate," criticizing what he called a failed opportunity for dialogue.
Protesters Reject Legislative Interference
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Hundreds of demonstrators, primarily youth, student activists, commercial motorcyclists, and opposition supporters, gathered outside the Capitol Building early Thursday, chanting and waving placards demanding urgent action from the Boakai administration on issues including corruption, youth unemployment and access to basic services.
The protest was led by Solidarity Trust for a New Day (STAND), with backing from the CDC Youth League. Organizers made clear that their petition would not be handed to any legislative official.
"If President Boakai can't come himself, or at least send someone credible from his office, we will not hand over our petition," said STAND Chair Mulbah K. Morlu.
Tensions Boil Over as Rocks Fly
As Sen. Cyrus approached the protest grounds, flanked by police officers, the crowd's mood quickly soured. Protesters accused him of representing the same political class they were rallying against. Moments later, rocks began flying.
One stone narrowly missed Cyrus's head, forcing his security team to rush him into a small booth near the Capitol entrance. Witnesses described the chaos as police scrambled to protect the senator and call for backup.
When Cyrus attempted to emerge a second time, more stones were thrown. Two police officers were struck in the head and began bleeding. The injured officers were later evacuated along with the shaken senator.
Cyrus: "They Were Not Ready for Dialogue"
Speaking to journalists following the incident, Cyrus said he was disappointed by the protesters' conduct.
"I am disappointed that we could not carry out this process because of the violent nature that erupted," he said. "They were uncivilized, chaotic, and this shows they did not have a clear mandate. If they had one, they would not throw stones."
Cyrus explained that he had been authorized by Vice President Koung and Senate Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence to receive the petition on behalf of the Legislature, citing national security implications.
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While acknowledging the protesters' constitutional right to peaceful assembly, he said violence undermines their cause and makes genuine dialogue impossible.
"I thought they had real issues that we could address through dialogue," he added. "But today's incident shows they were not ready for that."
Protesters Issue 14-Day Ultimatum
Despite the chaos, the organizers remained defiant. Refusing to engage with Cyrus, they instead read the petition aloud before the press, outlining demands for increased transparency, youth employment, and improved public services.
They accused the Boakai administration of "deliberate government failure" and issued a 14-day ultimatum.
"This is not the end," said CDC Youth League Chair Emmanuel Mulbah Johnson. "If the president does not act, we will be back."
As the crowd dispersed, many continued chanting and vowed to return in greater numbers if their demands are ignored.
