KNUST Demo: Military, Police deployed following destruction of vehicles, property

Military and police personnel have been deployed to restore order on the campus of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi after some students destroyed at least 20 vehicles and other university property during a protest.

The 20 vehicles were mainly private vehicles belonging to the staff of the university and were destroyed at the main administration block.

Some motorbikes and bicycles were also set ablaze.

Related: KNUST Police pick up 11 Katanga Hall students

The demonstration organised by the Students' Representative Council (SRC) of the KNUST in protest of police brutality turned violent Monday morning with some cars being overturned and louvre blades being smashed at the administration block of the KNUST.

A bus belonging to the school has also been reportedly burnt by the irate students who also blocked several roads on campus as part of the protest.

Read also: KNUST students clash with security; One injured, 11 arrested

Background

The SRC Executive Council in a statement titled: ACTION NOW, ENOUGH IS ENOUGH, implored students to abandon the lecture halls today (Monday, October 22, 2018) for the demonstration against police brutality of students.

"The KNUST SRC Executive Council in joint forces with SRC Parliamentary Council and all Student leaders brings to the notice of all KNUST students that we are embarking on a demonstration tomorrow 22nd October, 2018. NO LECTURES TOMORROW. We have had enough," the statement said.

The statement followed the arrest of the 11 students of the University Hall (Katanga Hall) who were arrested Friday night for “illegal assembly and violent behaviour”.

The students have accused the police of using excessive force to break up their gatherings.