Bernard Mornah, a senior member of the Arise Ghana pressure organisation, has described what is said to have happened between demonstrators and police officers on Tuesday, June 28 at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle.
He claimed that the demonstrators' actions were just reflexive and that the violence that ruined what was supposed to be a peaceful march had been started by the police.
This stands in stark contrast to a previous police news statement that claimed their actions were in response to demonstrators throwing stones at them.
Mr. Mornah said that several influential members of the National Democratic Congress were in danger because of the police's conduct.
In his words, "President Akufo-infection Addo's of the service with his aggression" was demonstrated by the police's conduct.
He gave his story of what transpired on JoyNews' PM Express;
I find it scandalous that President Akufo-Addo would for the level of aggression he displayed today to spread across the Ghana Police Service. We have always known President Akufo-Addo to be a violent individual, as evidenced by the numerous attacks he has made against even media personnel in this nation through his agents and assigns, as he did today by using the Ghana Police Service.
After listening to the order instructions he provided this morning, I got the chance to talk with the IGP. I contacted him to congratulate him and to let him know that we, too, had lengthy conversations with our folks and were hopeful that all would turn out okay.
Bernard Mornah describes a terrifying incident in the "Arise Ghana Demo"
Around the time I arrived at the grounds, around 11 a.m., a group of police commissioners led by COP Yowunoo arrived. I also saw the Greater Accra Regional Commander, Commissioner Doku, Commissioner Habiba, and Commissioner Awini; they all came and informed me that they wanted to meet with the leadership. I said, "No problem," but because I was the first to arrive, I went for a stroll to make sure everything was in order.
I'll therefore contact the other leaders, and we'll arrange a time and place to meet. And since they had offices there, the police and I both decided that we should meet within the Kwame Nkrumah Amusement Garden.
I then phoned my other coworkers. When those colleagues arrived—actually, approximately 20 minutes before to their arrival—I approached them and informed them that my colleagues would be there in 10–20 minutes. They responded by saying it was OK. They caught up with us, and as we were making our way to the police, I observed that the throng was growing, so I started pushing some of the protesters and yelling, "Give the police the way so we can meet with them so that we can come."
Some of the police officers were dressed in red shirts from Arise Ghana; I had no idea they were police officers. When I asked them to return so that these officers might ascend with us, they responded by telling me directly in front of the police that they were police officers and that they were defending their superiors, pointing to Yowunoo and those who were present. police men sporting t-shirts from Arise Ghana.
I then said, "Okay, if you're officers, I can't give officers orders; Commander, I leave them in your care." Consequently, I remarked, "Commander, if they are your boys, I'm transferring." I then headed to the location of our people.