TV3’s recent live show has seen a tense exchange between political commentator Ellen Ama Daaku and legal practitioner Beatrice Annan, as they both argued over the case of the remanded Democracy Hub protestors.
The tense exchange unfolded while Beatrice Annan was making her submission on the controversial arrest and remand of the protestors, which has sparked widespread public debate.
Beatrice argued passionately that the rights of the protestors had been infringed upon, emphasizing that peaceful protest is a fundamental democratic right.
In her opinion, the arrest and remand was an overreach of power, a move that undermines the very principles of the democracy the state claims to uphold.
“It is my expectation that how we approach issues against protesters will be different from lay people because, the first thing they teach you in law school which is criminal law is the principle of legality, the rights of an accused person and they don’t just teach you but you are trained in a way to see the law from a certain perspective so that, we are not discussing the guilt or otherwise of the protesters but substantive law in itself is as important as procedural law” the seasoned legal expert explained.
However, Ellen interrupted Beatrice’s submission, suggesting that the protestors had acted recklessly and were a potential threat to public order.
Ellen believes that while democracy does allow for protest, it must be within the confines of the law, and any deviation could justify legal repercussions.
The disagreement escalated when Ellen accused Beatrice of coming at her and defending lawlessness under the guise of democracy, to which she responded was dangerous to mix peaceful protests with disorder.
“I am not a lawyer, I attempted and I put it on hold I have done my bit but you are a lawyer and you’re coming at me. Madam don’t come at my profession or education because as you sit here if we decide to go that way tonight you won’t have peace” Ellen told Beatrice.
The debate between the two ladies, reflects a larger national conversation about the balance between public order and civil rights, and the role of the government in managing it.
Social media has since been buzzing with divided opinions, with some praising Beatrice for her defense of civil liberties, while others supported Ellen’s stance on maintaining law and order.
