MONROVIA – A coalition of Liberian civil society groups has officially notified the government of a massive nationwide protest scheduled for December 17, 2025, escalating a tense standoff over claims of corruption, impunity, and human rights abuses under President Joseph Boakai’s administration.
The announcement was made in a comprehensive letter addressed to Cllr. Oswald Tweh, Minister of Justice and Solicitor General, from the groups Solidarity & Trust for a New Day (STAND) and the WE THE PEOPLE Movement. The letter serves as both a formal notification and a stark indictment of the government’s response to a previous protest held on July 17.
Titled “Lead or Leave—Enough is Enough,” the planned protest is framed as a direct consequence of the government’s “silence and inaction” following the July demonstration. The groups accuse President Boakai of having “mock[ed], demean[ed], and dismiss[ed] the legitimate voices of thousands of peaceful citizens” instead of addressing their grievances.
A Litany of Grievances
The letter outlines a 13-count petition from the July protest, summarizing key demands that include:
*Respect for the rule of law and an end to corruption and impunity, Guarantees for freedom of movement and protection against torture and arbitrary arrest, A decisive national response to drug proliferation and gender-based violence, and Meaningful socio-economic reforms to alleviate widespread poverty.
The coalition argues that the situation has only worsened since July, citing the U.S. Department of State’s 2024 Human Rights Report on Liberia as credible external validation of “egregious police abuses, including extrajudicial killings, torture, corruption, and arbitrary detentions.”
In a particularly sharp critique, the letter highlights what it calls “entrenched impunity and selective justice,” pointing to specific cases. It alleges that Minister Bryant McGill evades prosecution while being protected by the police, and that businessman George Kailondo faces no consequences for serious drug trafficking allegations due to his government connections.
“These shameful realities mock Liberia’s ‘End Rape’ and ‘No to Drugs’ campaigns,” the letter states, arguing that such actions “undermine the rule of law and entrench a culture where the powerful remain above accountability.”
A Non-Negotiable, Nationwide Action
The coalition has declared that the December 17 protest will be a simultaneous, nationwide event, with the principal assembly taking place on the public grounds between the Capitol Building and the Executive Mansion in Monrovia—a location they describe as “constitutionally protected, historically utilized for civic engagement, and therefore non-negotiable.”
The groups reaffirmed their commitment to nonviolence but issued a clear warning: the protest’s duration and intensity will be dictated by the government’s response.
“Should the President heed the people’s voice… the protest will end in triumph for democracy,” the letter reads. “But should he once again choose contempt and silence, the protest will continue—peacefully but resolutely—until every lawful demand is met.”
A Call for Restraint and a Warning of Resolve
The letter calls on the Liberia National Police and joint security forces to “act with professionalism and constitutional restraint,” urging an end to the “brutality, intimidation, and fear tactics” allegedly employed during the July protest.
Simultaneously, it delivers a defiant message to the government, declaring that the Liberian people “will not retreat, will not be intimidated, and will not be silenced.” The letter concludes with a stark vow: “Should the Boakai administration choose to resurrect the brutal tactics once deployed against the Kinjor protesters, then know this: we will die standing, never on our knees.”
