Arise Ghana demo: Police came with negative mentality on the first day; they did better on second — Suhuyini

The Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suhuyini has said any commendation of the police during the demonstration should not include the first day which was marred by a violent clash.

He stated that day one of the protest gave an indication that the police came with a negative mentality towards the demonstrators.

Speaking on Accra-based Joy News today, he noted that the police did not perform to the expectation of most Ghanaians on the first day of the demonstration.

He noted that they however seem to have done a better job on the second day and should be commended for that.

“I think that if for nothing at all, for yesterday the police deserve commendation. The first day was an eyesore. A lot of people believe that the police came to the demonstration grounds with a negative mentality towards the demonstrators and perhaps could not manage the demonstration to the best of their ability and to the expectations of many Ghanaians and so for the first day I think that one would not be right commending them, but for yesterday I think that they came back; they may have gone through their notes after the first day of the demonstration and came back better prepared, with a better mindset, very engaging and very well organized and so for at least the show they put up yesterday they deserve some commendation as well,” he said on the 'AM Show' on Joy News.

He added that some persons arrested during the demonstration are still locked up and their lawyers denied access to them.

"That is shameful and a blot on the image of the Ghana Police Service. They are going against our laws in this country especially the constitution. I don’t think that it is fair for suspects to be incarcerated without the opportunity to speak to their lawyers. What is happening to them in incarceration? We do not know. They are forced to speak in the absence of their lawyers. Are they being maltreated? We do not know,” he stated.