Civil society group Solidarity & Trust for a New Day (STAND) on Tuesday openly rejected a Liberia National Police (LNP) directive barring protests at the Executive Mansion, declaring that it will proceed with its planned December 17 "Lead or Leave" demonstration at the seat of government, a location it says has long been used for public assembly by citizens, including those currently in power.
In a sharply worded statement issued hours after the police advisory, STAND and its partners in the December 17 Protest Coalition accused the LNP of selectively interpreting the law to restrict constitutional freedoms, arguing that the claim that the Executive Mansion grounds are "not designated for protests" is unsupported by history or law.
"You cannot stop us from assembling where you protested yesterday," the group said, referencing demonstrations held at or near the Executive Mansion during the 2019 and 2020 opposition protests by figures now serving in government. STAND said declaring the grounds off-limits now amounts to changing the rules to shield those in power from public accountability.
"Constitutional rights do not expire, relocate, or disappear when political power changes hands," the statement said. "What was lawful yesterday cannot become unlawful today by command or convenience."
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The standoff comes as STAND prepares for a nationwide, nonviolent protest scheduled for December 17 under the theme "Lead or Leave - Enough Is Enough." Organizers say the protest is aimed at pressuring the administration of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai to address corruption, economic hardship, human rights concerns and what the group describes as growing impunity within state institutions.
Police urge restraint, cite public safety
In response, the Liberia National Police said it respects the constitutional right to peaceful assembly but emphasized that such rights must be exercised responsibly and in a manner that does not endanger public safety or disrupt the rights of others.
In a statement signed by Police Spokesperson DCP Cecelia G. Clarke, the LNP said it had formally engaged STAND's leadership ahead of the planned protest as part of what it described as its "preventive and dialogue-based approach to public order management."
According to the police, concerns were raised about crowd control, mobility and security during the Christmas season, a period marked by increased commercial activity and population movement.
"The Police emphasized that large public gatherings during this period pose heightened risks to public safety and the free movement of citizens," the statement said, adding that STAND was advised to consider postponing the protest until after the holidays.
The LNP reiterated that the Executive Mansion grounds are not designated for protests and warned that violations of the law would be addressed "promptly and professionally." It also reminded the public that existing restrictions on motorcycles and tricycles remain in force.
Despite those assurances, STAND said the invocation of public safety and the festive season was being used to suppress dissent rather than manage it.
"There is nothing festive about hunger, unemployment, police abuse, land grabs, corruption and impunity," the group said, arguing that the Constitution does not allow freedoms to be suspended because of holidays.
Protest location deemed "non-negotiable"
STAND formally notified Justice Minister Cllr. Oswald Tweh in October of its intention to protest on December 17, identifying the public grounds between the Capitol Building and the Executive Mansion as the primary assembly point. Organizers say the location is symbolically and historically significant and remains non-negotiable.
The December protest follows a three-day nationwide demonstration organized by STAND and allied groups on July 17, which drew thousands of participants across Liberia. STAND says that despite the largely peaceful nature of that protest, the government dismissed its demands and failed to engage meaningfully with organizers.
"The July 17 protest demonstrated the maturity and discipline of Liberians exercising their civic rights," STAND Chairman Mulbah K. Morlu Jr. said in an earlier statement. "The response we received was silence."
STAND says the December 17 action will escalate peaceful pressure if the government again declines to engage, while insisting it remains committed to nonviolence.
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Warnings over intimidation and force
In its latest statement, STAND warned against any attempt to intimidate protesters, calling on the police to publicly commit to refraining from excessive force, tear gas, live ammunition, arbitrary arrests or harassment of peaceful demonstrators.
The group said it would hold individual officials accountable for any effort to suppress the protest through force or intimidation.
"History is clear: governments that turn state security against peaceful citizens always fail," the statement said.
The warning comes amid heightened political tension following a fire that gutted STAND's Monrovia headquarters earlier this month. The group has described the blaze as a deliberate act of arson intended to disrupt protest preparations, placing the damage at nearly US$40,000. Government authorities have not publicly commented on the incident.
STAND has also reported increased threats against its leadership and has appealed to international partners -- including ECOWAS, the United Nations, the United States and the European Union -- to closely monitor developments ahead of the protest.
