A devastating fire broke out at Liberia’s parliament building in Monrovia on Wednesday, following a day of tense protests over prolonged political deadlock in the country.
Authorities confirmed that the blaze, which started early in the morning, has been brought under control, and an investigation is underway to determine its cause.
The incident comes on the heels of violent clashes between police and protesters on Tuesday, prompting condemnation from the regional bloc ECOWAS and the US embassy.
Both have called for calm and restraint as Liberia grapples with its ongoing political crisis.
Videos shared on social media captured the dramatic scene, with flames engulfing sections of the parliament and thick black smoke billowing into the sky.
Firefighters were seen battling the blaze, using long hoses and water jets to contain the damage.
President Joseph Boakai condemned “a lot of wanton destruction” in the country during a visit to the site on Wednesday.
The blaze came a day after demonstrators took to the streets of Monrovia to protest a controversial move to oust house speaker Jonathan Fonati Koffa.
The issue has sparked months of political impasse between two rival legislative blocs, with the anti-Koffa grouping accusing the opposition lawmaker of corruption and overspending his budget.
The inspector general of the Liberia National Police, Gregory Coleman, told journalists that while the demonstration had started peacefully, a group of the protesters had broken down a barrier near the parliament and “became very violent”.
“They started to throw stones at officers… tear gas was fired”, he said at a press conference, adding that dozens had been arrested.
In a statement published by the information ministry, the government said that “only non-lethal force” was employed to disperse Tuesday’s protesters and denied the use of live bullets by security forces.
(AFP)
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