Police Rejects STAND Accusations of Political Intimidation amid July 17 Protest

Monrovia, Liberia: Solidarity and Trust For A New Day (STAND)'s Chairman, Mulbah Morlu, has accused the Liberia National Police of orchestrating a deliberate campaign of intimidation and harassment targeting opposition figures.

Morlu alleged that armed officers executed a calculated raid on STAND Headquarters under the guise of a routine motorcycle enforcement operation, a claim the police have vehemently denied.

By: Abraham Sylvester Panto

According to the LNP, their operation was solely intended to enforce traffic regulations within designated restricted zones, entirely unrelated to STAND or its leadership.

“The allegations being circulated on social media are completely false and misleading. At no point did police officers raid, storm, or invade STAND Headquarters or any other establishment. The operation was strictly a scheduled motorbike enforcement action in restricted areas,” an official communication issued Sunday, May 18, 2025, stated.

The police said the enforcement action was part of ongoing initiatives aimed at regulating unauthorized motorcycle traffic within no-go zones, which are consistently designated to alleviate traffic violations and maintain order in Monrovia’s congested streets.

During the course of this operation, officers observed a group of motorcyclists trailing a musician, which precipitated the impoundment of motorcycles found in violation of the established restricted zone protocols.

But in contrast, Chairman Morlu’s public statements, particularly on Facebook over the weekend, depict that the police deployment was a deliberate act of intimidation.

“Upon seeing me, the cowardly patrol unit fled the scene like thieves in the night, leaving behind a contingent of armed police still stationed at STAND. This is not law enforcement — it is naked provocation, a calculated attempt to instill fear, harm, and crush our voices,” Morlu framed the police’s presence as an act of intimidation rather than legitimate enforcement.

The LNP underscored that the video footage disseminated by Morlu “unmistakably depicts officers engaged in a routine enforcement operation devoid of any aggressive or targeted actions against STAND or its leadership,” disputing Morlu’s allegation of a politically motivated raid or intimidation tactic.

Furthermore, the police denounced the accusations as “baseless and incendiary,” characterizing them as a part of a sustained misinformation campaign orchestrated by Chairman Morlu, who, according to law enforcement officials, has repeatedly made unsubstantiated claims intended to discredit the police force and erode public confidence.

Expounding on their denial, the police clarified that “the enforcement action was conducted strictly within the parameters of traffic regulations and bore no connection to the activities of STAND,” while emphasizing that “the presence of police officers in the area was due to the scheduled operation and not a raid,” which reiterates the official stance that the operation’s purpose was non-political.

Despite the police denials, Morlu has remained steadfast in his position, insisting in a Facebook post that “We are peaceful, but we are not cowards. We are ready for their bullets, but we will never surrender to a failed autocrat who only finds courage hiding behind guns and uniforms,” a statement that vividly underscores his unwavering opposition to the Boakai administration.

In addition, the police addressed earlier accusations made by Chairman Morlu against the Deputy Inspector General of Operation Cllr. J. Nelson Freeman, particularly allegations that Freeman deliberately struck motorcyclists with his vehicle, categorically dismissing these claims as “unfounded fabrications intended to mislead the public,” further illustrating the contentious relationship between the opposition figure and the police hierarchy.