On December 10, 2024, police used batons, tear gas, and water cannons to forcibly disperse students associated with the the Student Unification Alliance (SUA) at William V.S. Tubman University as they were protesting. Several students were injured.

In the early morning, SUA students gathered peacefully at the university’s main campus to protest tuition increases. The students also accused the administration of suspending 14 students without due process the week prior.

Eyewitnesses reported that during the protest, students shouted slogans and raised signs. When the administration called the police to disperse the crowd, police began dragging students across the ground, beating students with batons, and firing tear gas and water cannons. Several students sustained injuries, including difficulty breathing, fractures, and bruises. In response, students refused to disperse and threw rocks and other objects at police. The clash lasted several hours.

Scholars at Risk is concerned about the use of force during a student protest. While state authorities have the responsibility to maintain order and prevent disruption, they must refrain from the disproportionate use of force and endangerment of civilians and must respect the right to freedom of association and freedom of expression. Students must refrain from violence, especially on campus, and also respect the right to freedom of association and freedom of expression. Such actions, beyond harming the immediate victims, have a chilling effect on academic freedom.

Sources:

*SAR identified this incident in data made publicly available by the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED)
Front Page Africa; New Dawn
https://thenewdawnliberia.com/protest-turns-chaotic-at-tubman-university/
https://frontpageafricaonline.com/news/liberia-joint-security-accused-of-brutalizing-tubman-university-students-during-peaceful-campus-protest/#google_vignette