Tensions ran high early Wednesday morning when officers of the Liberia National Police were caught on camera loitering outside the compound of Truth FM, reportedly in a failed attempt to arrest a well-known motorcyclist and activist Trokon Gray, commonly known as “Yellow Machine.”
The incident unfolded shortly after Gray appeared as a guest on The Closing Argument, a popular political talk show aired by the station. According to station security, within less than five minutes of Gray’s departure from the program, multiple officers were observed approaching the main gate in a manner that raised alarm.
Truth FM security personnel recounted the moment:
“I asked, ‘Who’s at the gate?’ and CO-5 responded, ‘Police officers.’ I did not open the gate. They then walked away from the main entrance,” said the guard, who later notified one of the station’s reporters on duty. That reporter quickly recorded a short video of the officers returning and holding what appeared to be a conversation at the entrance.
The footage has since gone viral on social media, sparking widespread public reaction. Many citizens voiced suspicion over the motive and timing of the police presence, describing it as an “intimidation tactic” aimed at silencing critics ahead of the planned July 17 peaceful protest.
Calls for accountability and clarity poured in, prompting The Closing Argument team to contact Police Inspector General Gregory Coleman for a statement.
In a response broadcast live on the show, Inspector General Coleman downplayed the incident, calling it a “magnified error” or “navigation error,” and insisted that the presence of CO-5 and other officers was not a deliberate attempt to arrest Gray.
“There was no direct order to target or apprehend Mr. Gray. The presence of officers in that area was not related to his interview,” Coleman stated.
He added that while local police have jurisdiction to enforce laws in the vicinity, the Liberia National Police had no operation planned against Trokon Gray that morning.
Meanwhile, as anticipation builds for the July 17 protest, security has visibly intensified across Monrovia. Heavily armed officers have taken up positions in key parts of the city, raising both security and political concerns.
The Liberia National Police has yet to release a formal statement explaining the nature of the error cited or offering further context to ease public tension.
