MONROVIA – The civil society organization Solidarity and Trust for a New Day (STAND) has strongly denounced what it describes as a “violent, reckless, and wholly unjustifiable” disruption of a peaceful student protest by officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP), calling for the immediate and unconditional release of all detained demonstrators.
In a sharply worded statement issued Tuesday, STAND said it “unequivocally condemns” the police action against members of the Student Unification Party (SUP), who had organized the demonstration under the theme “Jobs and Justice.”
According to the group, the protest was “a lawful and constitutionally protected exercise of democratic expression,” but was met with force by state security. “The reported deployment of tear gas against unarmed students, the alleged brutalization of peaceful protesters, and the arbitrary arrests carried out by the Liberia National Police constitute a flagrant assault on civil liberties, a gross abuse of state power, and a dangerous erosion of the rule of law,” the statement declared.
STAND cited “credible reports” indicating that police forcefully dispersed the protest, subjecting students to tear gas and physical harm. Among those reportedly arrested is student activist Foday Massaquoi, who remains in detention. The organization further raised alarm over “continued efforts to track, intimidate, and harass participants for nothing more than exercising their constitutional rights.”
Rejecting the government’s claim that the protest lacked a permit, STAND described such justification as “a deliberate and dangerous distortion of the law.” The group emphasized that Liberia’s Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful assembly without prior state approval.
“The Constitution of the Republic of Liberia is unambiguous. It guarantees every citizen the right to assemble peacefully and to consult in pursuit of the common good,” STAND asserted, quoting the provision that “all citizens shall have the right to assemble and consult upon the common good.” It stressed that “this right is not subject to discretionary state approval. It is fundamental and inalienable.”
The organization went further to characterize the police conduct as “arbitrary, repressive, and calculated to instill fear and suppress legitimate dissent,” warning that the alleged use of excessive force “reflects a deeply troubling pattern of intolerance toward peaceful protest.”
In response, STAND is demanding “the immediate and unconditional release of all detained protesters, including Mr Foday Massaquoi,” and is calling for “an immediate halt to all forms of harassment, intimidation, and persecution directed at students and citizens.”
The group also pledged legal intervention, stating it would “mobilize competent legal representation to secure the swift release of all detained students and to vigorously defend their constitutional rights.”
Warning of broader implications, STAND cautioned that “the continued repression of peaceful dissent will inflict serious damage on Liberia’s democratic foundations and further erode public confidence in state institutions.” It described the situation as “a dangerous escalation and a clear democratic red line.”
Despite the crackdown, the organization maintained that public resistance would endure. “No amount of intimidation will silence the people or extinguish their resolve; it will only strengthen lawful, peaceful, and determined resistance in defense of freedom and constitutional order,” the statement emphasized.
STAND concluded by calling on the Government of Liberia, civil society actors, and the international community to act decisively. “The voices of Liberia’s students must not be suppressed—they must be protected, respected, and heard,” the group urged, while demanding “full accountability” to ensure that “justice is not delayed or denied.”
The statement was signed by Mulbah K. Morlu Jr., Chairman of STAND, and issued on April 14, 2026.