The Area F Police Commander and street urchins better known as ‘area boys’ at Ojota Park are cooperating to send protesters away, FIJ can report.

The leader of the ‘area boys’, nicknamed CEO, was heard saying he was not meant to be at Ojota but he was called to come.

The urchins at Ojota told protesters to stop raising placards and asked journalists to pack their cameras and leave the park.

They also invited the Police to send journalists away from their park, warning that the situation could escalate.

“If you reporters, protesters leave, we are the ones Police will return to disturb. This is a park. Our chairman said he doesn’t want protest here. Don’t spoil our business for us,” they said.

The Ojota Park officials also threatened journalists: “If not because they said we should not beat you people, I would have slapped some of you. If I beat some of you with charm, you would not come out for eight years.”

The area boys equally invited the police to help chase away journalists from the Ojota park, and asked media houses that had parked their vehicles to park elsewhere.

The Police are meant to protect the rights of citizens to protest, but the cooperation between them and the area boys at the park highlights the dangers protesters and journalists are facing.