-Masked Youths Clash With Police
By Jerromie S. Walters
PAYNESVILLE, Liberia – The Liberia National Police arrested at least eight men on Thursday, November 13, 2025, during a violent confrontation in the Barclay Mission community. The individuals, believed to be of Islamic background, resisted a court-ordered eviction by throwing petrol bombs and stones at court sheriffs and LNP personnel.
The incident occurred near the Ma. Kebeh Gas Station, adjacent to the ECO Bank branch in the Redlight area of Paynesville. Court sheriffs had arrived at the location to enforce a Supreme Court mandate. The assailants, their faces initially covered with masks, launched the projectiles from the top of one of the buildings that fell in the eviction order.
The initial petrol bomb attack targeted the sheriffs and a Liberia National Fire Service vehicle parked in the vicinity. The area was crowded with hundreds of civilians at the time, including commuters using the Japanese Free route. Personnel from the Liberia National Fire Service quickly subdued fires ignited by the mini bombs as they were thrown one after the other.
As the attack continued, civilians on the scene assisted officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) in identifying and detaining suspects. Police have launched a full investigation into the violence. This Thursday’s event follows a similar act of resistance last week.
On Saturday, November 1, 2025, another group of individuals also believed to be of Islamic background gathered on rooftops in the same area. They brandished cutlasses and blocked sheriffs from executing an eviction order. That standoff halted commercial activity in the Redlight hub for nearly three hours.
Suspects Remanded in Connection to Earlier Disturbance:
Following the November 1 incident, authorities remanded seven individuals at the Monrovia Central Prison. The Liberia National Police stated the group obstructed a lawful eviction order, brandished cutlasses, and incited public disorder.
The suspects were formally charged and forwarded to court on Monday, November 3, 2025. Those charged include Augibou Berry, 52; Muatala Musa, 52; Oumaru Armade, 20; Amara Kromah, 31; Makama Kamara, an adult female; Karmo Sannoh, 48; and Abu Keita, an adult male. Their arrests came after footage of the disturbance circulated widely on social media.
Long-Standing Land Dispute at the Center of Violence:
The violence stems from a prolonged land dispute between the Keita and Kamara families. The Supreme Court issued a definitive judgment on August 14, 2025. The court affirmed that the Keita family owns one acre of land purchased from Charles S. B. Watkins in 1989. The ruling concluded that the Kamara family had encroached on two lots and collected rental income from businesses on the property.
The Court’s mandate instructed sheriffs to place the Keita family in possession and to evict all occupants. The appellants from the Kamara family were also ordered to bear all costs associated with the case. Despite this ruling, members of the Kamara family continue to dispute the decision. Yussif Kamara, a representative for the family, alleges the deed used by the court refers to property in Omega, not Red Light.
The family also challenges the government-appointed survey that informed the Court’s decision. They state they received no notification to participate in the survey process. Several neighboring caretakers and local leaders confirmed they were also not cited for participation. The enforcement of the eviction order on November 1 led to a severe disruption. Protesters threw stones, burned tires, and police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Citizens and Advocates React to Unrest:
The events have prompted reactions from citizens and public figures, with many voicing their opinions on social media and in public statements. Mohammed Kamara, a social media user, commented on the situation. “The law is supreme, and we must respect the outcome from the court,” he wrote. “If you have any objections, you should return to the court to seek redress.”
Another social media user, identifying as Librjan, posted, “When the citizens of a country realize they have no other country but that country, they give up their all to protect it. I’m proud of our dearest brother who are making sure the right thing is done. Liberia must move forward, the law must be respected. If you love your country protect the law. Liberia is all we have.”
Other comments addressed the religious dimension of the incidents. Mohammed Nyei stated, “This is not Islamic! Stop portraying Islam as a violent religion. Some of us don’t see this as Jihad.” A separate user focused on national stability, writing, “We are already struggling as a country, economically we are below standard, why can’t we concentrate on uplifting our country but instead turn it into a war zone.”
Human rights advocate Vickjune Wutoh also addressed the initial November 1 event. “I don’t know if the Muslim community has spoken about the situation because I haven’t seen a single official statement or condemnation from them too, and honestly, that silence is concerning,” Wutoh said. The advocate added a further distinction, noting, “I’m inclined enough to never attribute a person’s or one group’s bad action to an entire religion or tribe because I know that, a human being, regardless of background, can do right or wrong, it’s not about religion, tradition, or ethnicity.”
