By Amos Harris
ROBERTS INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (RIA), Margibi County – The highly anticipated return of former President George Manneh Weah on Monday turned chaotic when officers of the Liberia National Police (LNP)
fired tear gas to disperse hundreds of jubilant supporters of the Coalition for Democratic Change (CDC), sparking outrage and reigniting debate over opposition rights and state power.
From the early hours of the day, CDC partisans trooped to the airport, waving flags, singing campaign songs, and chanting slogans in anticipation of their political leader’s arrival.
But the mood shifted when police ordered the crowd to vacate the entrance of the airport.
When supporters refused, officers deployed multiple rounds of tear gas, sending women, men, and children fleeing in panic.
Several people sustained minor injuries in the stampede, while others were seen rinsing their eyes with water and using leaves to ease the burning sensation.
“There was no violence. We were just singing and waiting for President Weah. Then the police started throwing tear gas,” one shaken supporter told this paper.
The LNP has not yet issued an official statement, but security sources at the scene cited the arrival of a high-level delegation from the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) as the reason for tightening airport security.
Weah’s homecoming comes against a tense political backdrop, only weeks after the government ordered the demolition of the CDC headquarters in Congo Town a move that has fueled mistrust between the ruling administration and the opposition.
Civil society organizations and rights advocates swiftly condemned Monday’s events, calling the police response heavy-handed and unconstitutional.
“This is not just about Weah’s return; it’s about whether Liberians can freely assemble without intimidation,” one activist said.
Police defenders, however, argued that the intervention was necessary to secure a sensitive national facility and maintain order.
Emerging under heavy escort, Weah briefly addressed his supporters, urging calm and restraint.
“Liberia belongs to all Liberians. No matter your status, we must work together toward our common goals,” the former president told the crowd.
Later, in an interaction with journalists, Weah expressed disappointment at the police action but called on his followers to remain peaceful.
“It’s good to be back in our country. I don’t think what happened today was necessary, but I’m glad to be home.
Let us be civil and make peace in this country, because that is the only way we can move forward,” he said.
“To all of my friends and supporters what happened to us today? Don’t worry. George M. Weah is here. We are going to restore and rebuild our party headquarters. This country belongs to all of us.”
Weah also disclosed that his time in Europe was partly to ensure his son, professional footballer Timothy Weah, settled into a new contract before returning to Liberia.
For now, the tear gas clash at RIA has underscored Liberia’s fragile democratic space, raising concerns about the treatment of opposition figures and the right to peaceful assembly.
