MONROVIA — Mulbah K. Morlu Jr., chairman of Solidarity and Trust for a New Day, or STAND, has accused the Liberian government of waging a systematic campaign of surveillance, harassment and intimidation against him and members of his movement, in what he says is an attempt to suppress “a historic people’s revolution” planned for July 17.
In an exclusive weekend interview with The Liberian Investigator, Morlu alleged that heavily armed police operatives stormed STAND’s Congo Town headquarters without cause. That incident, he said, followed two prior failed assassination attempts and confirmed what he described as an “undeniable pattern” of state repression.
“This incident does not appear isolated,” Morlu said. “On May 5, I was attacked by unknown men at the Duport Road intersection between 10:00 and 11:30 p.m. while driving my Range Rover. A woman appeared at the driver’s side window, violently striking the glass. At the same time, two men on the right side attempted to forcefully open my vehicle. I had to drive through a red light to avoid being harmed.”
Morlu said that two days later, he parked his Chevy ZR2 to visit a friend in the same area when an unmarked sedan appeared behind his vehicle. As he approached the car to ask them to move, the sedan suddenly backed off and sped away. “I suspected it was a trap,” he said. “They were trying to lure me away from my vehicle, possibly to attack me.”
According to him, both incidents were preceded by internal intelligence from sources within the Liberia National Police and the National Security Agency, warning that security agencies had been instructed to trail him, monitor his meetings and plant informants within STAND’s leadership.
“We had intelligence that our meetings and chat platforms had been infiltrated,” he said. “So we were expecting surveillance, but not an armed deployment to our headquarters.”
On the day in question, Morlu said he arrived at STAND’s Congo Town office around 1:50 p.m. to find two pickups carrying armed officers from the Police Support Unit (PSU) stationed outside. “There was no crime, no public disturbance, no traffic congestion—nothing to justify this kind of deployment,” he said. “We’re talking about 15 to 35 PSU operatives, some in riot gear, some with tear gas canisters.”
Morlu said the presence was so alarming that office staff fled the compound, leaving him to open the gate himself. He said one of the police vehicles sped away when he arrived, but later returned to retrieve officers who had remained behind. “That’s how hasty and disorganized the operation was,” he said.
Footage of the incident, recorded by Morlu and later posted to social media, quickly went viral. In a strongly worded Facebook statement, he accused the Boakai administration of seeking to intimidate activists ahead of a mass protest planned for July 17, which STAND has dubbed “The Day of the People.”
‘We Will Not Kneel’
Addressing President Joseph Nyuma Boakai directly in the interview, Morlu said the regime had resorted to “desperate, blood-thirsty” tactics. “We will never kneel to this regime and its brutal police machinery,” he said. “Let them come with batons, bullets or brute force—the July Revolution cannot be stopped.”
Morlu went further to equate President Boakai’s governing style to that of authoritarian leaders. “This regime dreams of ruling like Kim Jong-un,” he said. “But we will stand, even if our bodies are broken and our corpses must be carried through the streets of Monrovia.”
Asked if he had reported the threats to the Liberia National Police or the Ministry of Justice, Morlu said he deliberately avoided those institutions. “I don’t trust them,” he said. “These are the very agencies carrying out the threats.” Instead, Morlu said he wrote to the U.S. Embassy and several international human rights organizations. “I’ll share those communications with your newsroom,” he added.
Police Deny Morlu’s Claims
In response to Morlu’s accusations, the Liberia National Police strongly rejected any suggestion of a targeted raid or political interference.
LNP Spokesperson Col. Cecelia Clarke told The Liberian Investigator that the officers seen outside the STAND office were part of a routine traffic enforcement operation.
“These allegations are misleading and misrepresent the lawful enforcement actions carried out by the police,” Clarke said. “On the said date, the Liberia National Police was engaged in routine motorbike enforcement in restricted areas.”
She said the presence of officers in the area had nothing to do with STAND or its leadership. “Even in the video circulated by Mr. Morlu, police officers can clearly be seen executing their lawful duties without any indication of targeting him or his establishment,” she added.
Clarke further accused Morlu of repeatedly spreading misinformation about the police. “He has made multiple baseless accusations, including claims that police officials have trailed him with the intent to harm,” she said. “Such statements are harmful to public trust and the integrity of the police force.”
She reaffirmed the LNP’s commitment to impartial law enforcement. “We remain committed to serving the public with professionalism and adherence to the law,” she said. “We urge the media and public to rely on credible sources and verified information when assessing law enforcement activities.”
A Protest in the Making
Morlu’s accusations come at a time when STAND is preparing what could be one of the largest demonstrations in postwar Liberia. Branded “The Day of the People,” the protest is scheduled for July 17, and will bring together a diverse group of citizens — including students, market women, health workers, transport operators and religious leaders — under a newly formed coalition called “We the People.”
According to Morlu, the protest seeks to address what he described as a broad collapse of public services, systemic corruption and the erosion of constitutional checks and balances.
He said the protest will call for sweeping reforms in governance, including an increase in civil servant wages, improved access to healthcare and education, and the prosecution of public officials accused of corruption. STAND will also demand the dismissal of Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman and his deputy, Nelson Freeman, citing their roles in unresolved cases of police brutality and the deaths of civilians in Kinjor, Grand Cape Mount County.
Other key demands include compensation for victims of forced evictions and a full audit of major concession agreements with foreign companies. Protest organizers will also call for a national referendum to shorten the tenure of both lawmakers and the president, Morlu said.
Permit Controversy and Public Sentiment
The Ministry of Justice has warned that any protest not approved through a formal permit process will be deemed illegal. But Morlu brushed aside that warning, insisting that Liberia’s Constitution does not require citizens to seek permission to demonstrate peacefully.
“There is no constitutional basis for requiring a permit to protest,” he said. “Show me the clause. They can’t, because it doesn’t exist.”
Morlu said grassroots mobilization has already begun in all 15 counties, and predicted that more than 100,000 Liberians will take part in the protest. “We will be peaceful, but we will not blink,” he said. “We will stand in the streets, unarmed, with bare chests if we must.”
Across Monrovia, public reactions to the upcoming protest are mixed. Some citizens voiced concern about potential unrest, while others praised STAND for giving voice to their frustrations.
“I just want peace,” said Sarah Kollie, a market woman in Red Light. “But I also want rice to be affordable again.”
Others see the July protest as a defining moment in Liberia’s postwar governance.
“This is the beginning of a new day,” Morlu said. “And history will remember that the people did not remain silent in the face of tyranny.”
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