2022 Woybela Mariam Church police brutality

On 20 January 2022, a group of Oromia police officers fired at Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo followers while the congregants transporting Ark of the Covenant to Woybela Mariam Church during feast day of Saint Michael in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, killing three people from direct gunshot, and injured ten other people.^[1]

Event

The Oromia police began assaulting the congregants of Orthodox Tewahedo while they transporting the Ark of the Covenant to Woybela Mariam Church during the feast day of Saint Michael. They threw tear gas to the children's choir to stop ritual progression. The mayhem was motivated when they saw the flag of Ethiopia shirt weared by the congregants at the celebration and they start to extort them. Three people were killed by the police brutality—both were from direct gunshot—at Alert Hospital in Addis Ababa while ten people were critically injured.^[2][3]

Response

The event stirred up criticism directed to Abiy Ahmed's government, who was blamed for not quickly responded to the action. Abune Melke Tsadek, Archbishop of Addis Ababa, had decision to keep the Ark of the Covenant to Keraneyo Medhanealem Church. Oromo Liberation Front and Oromo Liberation Army jointly accused for alleged massacre. In aftermath, the Ethiopian Orthodox followers began mobilizing to resume the solemn progression.^[2]

References

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