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A three-day national mourning was decreed by the President, George Weah, following the death of at least 29 people in a crowd movement, the night of Wednesday January 19 to Thursday January 20. It happened during a religious gathering on the outskirts of Monrovia.
Worshipers gathered at a football pitch in the eastern suburb of New Kru Town for a two-day Christian religious gathering. The rally was around a popular preacher, Pastor Abraham Kromah. According to images released on the media and social networks, the event drew a large crowd.
Local media explain that thugs arrived at the exit of the rally to rob the faithful. A witness, quoted by AFP, recounts having seen people armed with knives asking for money and telephones, which caused a movement of panic. The victims, among whom there would be a dozen children, would have been trampled to death. A witness said he saw many bodies lying on the ground.
It is not easy. The whole community is shaken. People are in tears. For they went to pray and now they are in mourning. There were no security guards, and no electricity. So everything was happening in the dark. It allowed thugs to attack people. A month ago they attacked us too, this time with weapons, killing people. This is not the first time such a tragedy has happened.
A witness to the deadly crowd movement: “The whole community is shaken”
According to the police, the current toll is likely to increase, since some people are in critical condition. On Twitter, the United Nations resident coordinator in Liberia expresses his sadness and offers his condolences to the families of the victims.
The president said to himself, afflicted ». George Weah calls for a full investigation to be carried out to find out whether or not criminal acts are responsible for these events. This Thursday evening, the Liberian police said that five people were arrested.
The accident sparked a debate regarding safety rules at gatherings… a legitimate debate for Ledgerhood Rennie, Minister of Information: “ The government will contact the families of the victims. At this time, we can only tell them that we are sorry for this incident and that we share their grief and bereavement. It is still too early to talk regarding compensation. The president asked the national disaster management committee to go there and carry out assessments. The government will do its best to meet the needs, whatever they may be. »
