Gadaffi Protesters Released

Gaddafi one of the arrested protestors

The 24 members of the US NATO Hands off Libya! Hands off Africa! Coalition marchers who were arrested by the police on Wednesday for unlawfully demonstrating against the invasion of Libya by western powers have been released from custody after being detained.

Members of the coalition were arrested for not abiding by a court injunction to postpone the demonstration till September 28, 2011.

Spokesman for the group, Sekou Mwanza Nkrumah, including a 70-year-old man and their other colleague demonstrators, was arrested at about 11am when they were matching towards the US Embassy in Accra to register their displeasure about the country's participation in the invasion of Libya.

But the group believes their arrest by the police was a shameful act, especially on the birthday of Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, insisting that the Ghana Police Service had tinted its image by acting on the instructions of the U.S. Embassy.

'What justifications does the US Embassy have for orchestrating the arrest of these Africans who were participating in a peaceful march that will benefit Africa', asked Sekou.

Another member of the group, Lord Koranteng Hamah, who was also arrested, said they were not served with any court order until the time of the demonstration, adding that 'the marching stopped, we did not proceed but they beat us and shoved us, we did not resist but we were manhandled.'

He said the inhumane action was nothing short of a demonstration of the explosive and ruthless actions of the imperialists to oppress and beat down Pan -African movement and African people.

'When we went to seek audience with the Regional Commander of police, DCOP Rose Bio Atinga said the US Embassy was not happy with the situation', he stated.

For this reason, leadership of the group noted with emphasis that the police service was not democratic enough since the action they took was ill motivated.

'With further advice from our legal assistance, we will proceed to the human rights court for redress,' it noted.

The police on the other hand, had earlier stated that the action they took was necessitated by the group's refusal to oblige a court order which was granted by a Circuit Court Judge, Patience Mills Tetteh, which read, 'The organization calling itself US/NATO Hands Off Libya and Hands Off Africa Coalition are hereby prohibited from demonstrating on September 21.'

The regional commander therefore noted that the action of the police was lawful, insisting that the police was not against demonstration in itself since it was a constitutional provision, but could not have looked on for people to flout a court order.

 By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri