Six police officers were left injured and 12 protesters arrested following a violent clash between Pragya tricycle riders and authorities at the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly’s (KMA) towing yard.
The incident unfolded when tricycle riders attempted to release their seized vehicles, which had been impounded by the Assembly’s task force for operating in the Central Business District (CBD).
Earlier in the day, the frustrated tricycle riders had staged a protest by blocking the Suame Road stretch leading to the CBD. The demonstration was in response to restrictions placed on them, preventing them from operating within the CBD.
In response to the protest, a joint police and military team was deployed to disperse the demonstrators and restore traffic flow. The road was eventually cleared, but tensions escalated when the protesters moved towards the KMA’s towing yard to reclaim their impounded tricycles.
Having received intelligence about the tricycle riders’ intentions, the police were stationed at the yard. However, this did not prevent the clash from occurring. The protesters resorted to violence, pelting stones and clubs at the police and the KMA task force.
In response, the police fired warning shots to disperse the crowd.
The situation required reinforcement, and armed military personnel, along with additional police officers, were deployed to the scene. They managed to disperse the aggrieved riders and apprehended 12 of them in the process.
The injured police officers were swiftly taken to the KMA clinic for medical attention.
The extent of their injuries is yet to be disclosed.
Source: classfmonline.com