POLICE AND YOUTH CLASH AFTER GASOLINE INCIDENT

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 FREETOWN 000071

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR AF/W, DS, CA/OCS

SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED

E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: ASEC CASC PGOV SL
SUBJECT: POLICE AND YOUTH CLASH AFTER GASOLINE INCIDENT


SUMMARY
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1. (SBU) Early on the morning of January 27, Sierra Leone Police
(SLP) clashed with a group of youths in the Cole Farm area of
Freetown near many Embassy residences after officers attempted to
arrest a taxi driver whom they thought was in possession of illegal
fuel. There are conflicting accounts of the incident. The SLP
claimed that the taxi driver ignited the fuel in question in an
attempt to evade being arrested and sustained severe burns, while
the taxi driver claimed that the police set him on fire after he
refused to hand over the fuel. He also claimed that police officers
attempted to flee the scene instead of rendering assistance. The
altercation quickly drew a crowd, and police reinforcements were
called to disperse an angry crowd of approximately 100-150 youths.
Some media reports claim that the police fired multiple rounds of
live ammunition as warning shots, which the police denied. Many
Embassy personnel said that they heard what sounded like gunshots.
Police did admit to using tear gas on the crowd. There were no
further reported incidents of violence following the altercation.
The SLP is investigating the incident and plans to implement new
procedures to ensure public safety. END SUMMARY.

SLP CONFRONTS ALLEGED BLACK MARKET FUEL RUNNER
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2. (U) On January 27, Sierra Leone Police (SLP) officers allegedly
attempted to apprehend a taxi driver, whom they believed was in
possession of stolen gasoline. Details are still unclear, but
reportedly an altercation ensued, during which a container of
gasoline was ignited by either the taxi driver, a bystander, or the
police, severely burning the taxi driver and moderately injuring one
police officer. Police called for reinforcements when a group of
approximately 100-150 disgruntled youth gathered and attacked the
police in reaction to the altercation.


3. (SBU) The RSO investigated the scene a few hours after the
incident and saw broken glass, large rocks, debris and various
charred items in the middle and to the side of the street. He also
observed that a majority of the activity appeared to have taken
place between two local grocery stores that Embassy staff often
frequent on Wilkinson Road. The RSO noted that the SLP was
maintaining a presence in the area, but appeared to be in stand-down
mode. Crowds remained in the area, and the RSO witnessed only one
other incident where a group of local youths threw large rocks and
other debris in the middle of the road. The police quickly dispersed
the group and cleared the street of debris. By noon, normal traffic
flows had resumed and local stores were open.


4. (SBU) The senior police advisor for the UN Integrated Office in
Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) told the RSO that he was briefed by the SLP
on the situation and was told that the incident location is a
well-known area where stolen property and black market gasoline are
sold. Police also said that their intelligence indicates that some
military personnel, living in the Freetown neighborhood of Murray
Town, may be siphoning fuel from officials' vehicles and selling the
product in the vicinity. Police believed that some individuals
sympathetic to black market fuel sellers were planning to launch an
attack on the police in retaliation.

SLP PLANS RESPONSE
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5. (SBU) The SLP told the senior UN police advisor that it planned
to intensify police patrols in several parts of the city to ensure
public safety, conduct a full-scale investigation into the incident,
require police patrols to work in teams of at least five officers to
prevent attacks by disgruntled youths, and deploy plainclothes
officers to monitor and gather information in respect to the
incident. SLP officials said that these measures are necessary to
help allay public fears that the SLP does not possess the capability
to monitor security during the forthcoming July national elections.
The SLP also plans to embark on a robust media strategy to give the
public their version of events.


6. (SBU) Although shell casings were found at the scene, a
preliminary SLP investigation indicated that no other persons were
injured, and there was no evidence indicating that other persons
received gunshot wounds during the incident. However, press reports
claim that at least one bystander received a bullet wound. The
police admitted to only firing several rounds of tear gas.

EMBASSY RESPONSE
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7. (U) All Embassy employees were advised to exercise caution by
avoiding the area in question for that day, and the Embassy
immediately issued a Warden Message apprising Amcits in country of
the situation. No Embassy employees were involved or injured, and no

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damage was done to USG property. Post has not received any reports
of injuries to Amcits and will continue to monitor the situation.

COMMENT
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8. (SBU) It is still unclear who initiated the altercation, and who
actually ignited the fuel. The truth may never be clear. There is
wide speculation, reported by various media, that the SLP patrol was
at fault and had set the taxi driver on fire. This incident serves
as another reminder of how quickly events can turn violent in Sierra
Leone and of the level of the general public's distrust of the SLP.
Freetown is once again calm, and tensions appear to have diminished
since the incident, although we cannot rule out the possibility of
more unrest. END COMMENT.