IGP clarifies differences between 2014 ‘Occupy Jubilee House’ protest and recent #OccupyJulorbiHouse

Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Dr. George Akuffo Dampare has addressed the differences between the 2014 Occupy Jubilee House demonstration and the recent #OccupyJulorbiHouse protest.

According to Dr. Dampare, the previous demonstrations were not specifically targeted at the Jubilee House and should not serve as a precedent for current events.

The police chief said this during a recent engagement with the Trades Union Congress (TUC) on Wednesday, October 25.

Speaking in Accra, he pointed out that there were significant distinctions between the two protests, primarily the location and the intentions behind them.

In reference to the 2014 protest, Dr. Dampare explained that the protesters arrested by the police during that time were attempting to approach the Jubilee House due to the proximity of the demonstration grounds.

However, he said no one actually occupied the Jubilee House during that demonstration.

“It is almost nine years now. So, if you are not careful nine years from now, if we are not here, there will be another meeting saying that ‘Why are you stopping people from going to Jubilee House?’ Because nine years ago, which is today, there was a demonstration called Occupy Jubilee House. So, it is one thing having the intention, and name, and another thing, it happening at a location that it had,” Dr. Dampare explained.

He further clarified that the 2014 protest was centered around Efua Sutherland Park, and although it was named Occupy Jubilee House, it was a different event with distinct objectives.

“It was a name, and they did a demonstration, and it was around Professor Efua Sutherland Park and some of them made an attempt to run to the Jubilee House. And they were stopped at Afrikiko interchange. We had an engagement and we worked on it.”

Dr. Dampare stressed the importance of understanding these differences for a more accurate context of the recent protests.

Source: Ghana News