By Tabora Bojang
At least 200 high school students within the Greater Banjul Area yesterday clashed with officials of the Police Intervention Unit over their non-acquisition of police permit to hold a road show, commonly known as Pasa-Pasa.
The police have previously put a ban on road shows, citing series of turbulences that emerged as a result of the action carried out by students.
The students, most of whom are from Glory Baptist, West African International, Ndows Comprehensive and SOS High Schools are said to have completed their final papers for the grade 12 West African Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCE.
The incident occurred in Bakau Mamakoto as a large group of students marched towards the Bakau beach for ”last outings.”
The officials took the keys of cars some of the students used belonging to parents or family members, telling them to call for the owners of the cars to pick them.
Students who spoke to The Standard said no arrests were made but one of them sustain a minor injury due to crowd disturbance.
They also said they were aware of the application of a permit for any road shows, but since it was their last day, they thought it would not be a ‘pertinent issue’ for the police.
Police PRO David Kujabi told The Standard that his office received several complaints from people who claimed harassment, assault and even robbery by organisers of such shows or carnivals.
He said: “That was why we said whoever wants to conduct a carnival you must get a police permit and anyone found without the permit will be dispersed.”
He said the problem with such public gatherings is that other non-students join to steal, and break into cars.
”In fact during the last inter school athletic competitions, a lot of weapons were confiscated from students when they were searched and also found with a lot of weapons like knives, scissors and sharp edged objects and others. So we have enough problems already and we cannot afford to encourage anymore.” PRO Kujabi warned.
