MONROVIA – The Vanguard Student Unification Party (SUP) of the University of Liberia says its militants overpowered police officers on Monday, September 15, 2025, and rescued their Militant Brigade Chairman after he was arrested and handcuffed during a protest at the institution’s Capitol Hill campus.
According to SUP, despite being restrained, their Brigade Chairman, described by the group as “equivalent to 5,000 US Marines,” and several other militants fought back against officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP) before escaping custody with him still in handcuffs.
Speaking to journalists, SUP Propaganda Chairman Emmanuel “Polay” Nyan accused the police of targeting students after they had peacefully withdrawn from a demonstration. “The police had no justification to arrest our members because the protest was nonviolent,” he said.
In an angry response to what they call unlawful arrests, SUP threatened to arrest and handcuff Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman, promising to deliver him to the international community for what they allege are ongoing human rights violations.
The confrontation comes amid wider tensions between SUP and the university administration. The group criticized UL President Dr. Layli Maparyan after the release of a new academic calendar announcing the resumption of classes on Monday. SUP argued that the announcement was misleading, claiming no instructors were present on campus to teach due to unresolved faculty concerns. “This reflects a lack of professionalism and administrative competence,” the group declared, accusing the administration of failing to prioritize the needs of students and faculty.
Meanwhile, police confirmed that five students believed to be SUP members and a tricycle rider were arrested on the university’s Fendall campus. According to police accounts, the arrests followed intelligence about a planned protest at that location. Witnesses, however, reported that some of those taken into custody were not actively protesting but were picked up after being suspected of involvement.
