MONROVIA – Following months of agitation to be granted approval for a protest, the Ministry of Justice and the Liberia National Police (LNP) have officially granted conditional approval for the much-anticipated July 17 protest organized by the civil society group STAND (Solidarity of Trust for a New Day).
The July 17, 2025, protest is reportedly shaping up to be the largest public demonstration since President Joseph Nyuma Boakai assumed office in January 2024.
The decision followed a crucial meeting held Friday, July 11, between Justice Ministry officials and leaders of STAND, including representatives of the “We the People Movement,” civil society coalitions, and the Youth League of the opposition Congress for Democratic Change (CDC). The dialogue, convened in the Ministry’s Conference Room, was aimed at coordinating security arrangements and affirming a shared commitment to peaceful civic engagement.
Inspector General of Police Col. Gregory Coleman, who attended the meeting, emphasized the government’s recognition of the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and expression. However, he issued a firm caution against lawlessness.
“We recognize the constitutional right to peaceful assembly and expression,” Coleman said. “However, we urge STAND and its supporters to conduct themselves responsibly. Any acts of violence, provocation, or public disorder will not be tolerated.”
The Ministry of Justice, through its press and public affairs bureau, reaffirmed that the government is prepared to facilitate lawful demonstrations while protecting public order. “Democratic freedoms will be upheld, but the safety of all citizens remains paramount,” the Ministry stated in a release signed by Jutonu Y. Kollie, Director of Press and Public Affairs.
In reaction, STAND’s leadership responded affirmatively, assuring full compliance with the terms of the protest permit to be issued. Organizers pledged to coordinate with security forces, respect designated protest zones, and maintain nonviolent discipline throughout the three-day action.
The protest, set for July 15–17, is the culmination of months of civic mobilization by STAND and its partners, driven by public dissatisfaction with governance, alleged judicial abuses, and economic hardship under the Boakai-led Unity Party government.
On April 21, STAND declared July 17 as “THE DAY OF THE PEOPLE” and released a 10-point resolution demanding sweeping reforms. These include the restoration of constitutional tenure protections, prosecution of corrupt officials, reform of the healthcare system, compensation for evicted communities, and a national referendum to reduce presidential and legislative term limits.
In what many see as a blistering indictment of the administration, STAND Chairman Mulbah K. Morlu, who is the former chairman of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC), Liberia’s largest opposition political party, accused the government of fostering a “culture of impunity,” using courts to grab land from citizens, and intimidating political opponents.
“This is a nationwide awakening,” Morlu told supporters during a rally in Stockton Creek last month. “On July 17, we will stand united as a people whose patience has run out.”
Adding fuel to the political firestorm, the CDC’s Youth League formally endorsed the July 17 protest, with its Chairman Emmanuel M. Johnson describing the Boakai Administration as “a creeping dictatorship.”
“Corruption has become the new order,” Johnson said during a mass rally in West Point on July 11. “We will not inherit a broken nation without resistance.”
The Youth League, once part of the ruling establishment, is now a key player in the protest machinery, joining forces with their former Chairman Morlu, who now leads STAND.
Meanwhile, supporters of the Boakai’s Administration have termed organizers of the July 17, 2025 protest as the wrong messengers, having supported the George Weah’s regime that reportedly left the country broken economically. “How can a person like Mulbah Morlu be championing a protest to right wrongs in society when he sat for six years and saw Weah and his cronies pillage the country’s coffers at will to the detriment of Liberians.”
Many Liberians see the organizers of the July 17 protest as hypocrites who turned a blind eye on their so-called advocacy for Liberians when Weah and his friends grabbed every penny they could lay their hands on for selfish gains. They said former officials of the Weah Administration acquired wealth and built houses that their salaries could not afford, but STAND and its collaborators stood mute during that period. It must be noted, however, STAND could not have acted as there was it was not in existence during the Wead regime. Meanwhile, Liberians have been urged not to get carried away by people pretending to in their interest by calling on them to join them and protest. “What they want to do is only for themselves with the hope that they will come back to power in 2029 to pillage the country’s wealth once more. Let Liberians not be fooled.”
