The Economic Fighters League is alleging that the police fired live ammunition at a crowd that waited outside the Police Headquarters on Saturday.
The crowd had gone there to seek answers on the arrest of their leader, Ernesto Yeboah at the Black Star Square earlier.
Mr. Yeboah was leading a vigil against police brutality as similar protests were underway in the United States of America (USA) after the killing of George Floyd, an African-American man by police.
In a video, Mr. Yeboah was seen addressing participants on the need to end police brutality among other issues before he was arrested.
He was granted bail and charged for not notifying the police before undertaking the vigil and breaching Executive Instrument (EI) 64 under the Imposition of Restrictions Act.
Loading...
Reload document
Open in new tab But in a statement copied to JoyNews, the group claimed that when they marched to the Police Headquarters to demand answers on the arrest of their leader, live bullets were fired at them.
“Live ammunition was fired into a crowd of vigil attendees across the road from the police station, who were awaiting news on Ernesto’s bail.
“The gunshots were fired by an unruly gang of officers who jumped out of a police pick up, as they zoomed recklessly into the gathered crowd,” the statement said.
According to Fighter-General, Hardi Yakubu who signed the statement the officers got out of hand and “could not be controlled by the officer who appeared to be their leader.”
He claimed that a lady among them was injured and had to seek treatment in a hospital.
While disagreeing that they breached Executive Instrument (EI) 64 under the Imposition of Restrictions Act, Mr. Yakubu accused the police of double standards as just hours before, a state-sponsored funeral was held.
While denying claims by the police that they did not notify them before they held the vigil, Mr. Yakubu accused the police of double standards as just hours before
“Why display so much hypocrisy, after holding a state-sponsored “funeral” for Floyd, just 30 hours earlier? Why risk the lives of many, by instigating the breaking of Social Distancing protocol, at a peaceful vigil? Why was the notice to gather, ignored? Who gave the order from above?”
