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Front Page
GA-DANGME MARCHERS CLASH WITH POLICEMEN
WEDNESDAY, 27TH APRIL, 2005
The Ga-Dangmes’ peaceful march in Accra yesterday nearly turned violent when members clashed with the police at the Castle Crossroads.
The clash brought to memory, the events of February 28th, 1948, when the colonial police constabulary opened fire on ex-servicemen marching to the Castle, killing three of them.
While the leaders of yesterday’s march were at the Parliament House to present their petition to the Legislature, the ranks numbering over 2,000 proceeded to the Castle, seat of government.
At the Crossroads on 28 February Road, (named after the events of 1948), police tried to prevent them from proceeding any further through an unauthorized route and one policeman used a water cannon to spray them. For some time, the demonstrators were disorganized, some dazed by the force of the water from the hoses.
They dispersed momentarily, but re-grouped and traced their steps to Parliament House to join their leaders. The group later returned to the Castle to present a memorandum on their concerns to the President, through the minister for presidential affairs, Kwadwo Mpiani.
The Greater Accra regional police commander, ACP Kofi Boakye, apologized to them for the use of the water cannon.
The demonstration was to heighten public awareness on their concerns about alleged injustices relating to the use of Ga lands, culture and language.
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