By Precious D. Freeman
The Human Rights Monitor of the United Methodist Church (UMC) is calling on the Liberia National Police (LNP) to conduct a thorough investigation into the recent unprovoked attack on Reverends J. Abel Knight and Boyd Davis at the Omega Magisterial Court in Paynesville.
The incident, which occurred while the two clergy were representing the church in a legal matter, has raised serious concerns about the safety of religious leaders in Liberia.
The altercation took place during court proceedings related to a request from the UMC Board of Ordained Ministry calling for a restraining order against Rev. Kenneth Jackson of the 72nd UMC, and other pastors placed on involuntary leave by the church’s bishop.
These pastors were instructed not to conduct services until an investigation was completed by the Board.
According to witnesses, Rev. Jackson and a group of supporters incited a crowd of market vendors and other onlookers, claiming that the UMC had sent a “gay lawyer” to the court and that inflammatory rhetoric led to chaos outside the court, with the crowd chanting and singing as they stormed the premises.
The situation escalated into a physical assault on Rev. Knight and Rev. Davis.
The Program Director for the UMC Human Rights Monitor, Jefferson Knight, condemned the actions of those involved in the attack, calling the violence “barbaric, uncivilized, and unacceptable.”
He stressed that the assault on the two reverends was part of a broader pattern of intimidation and violence aimed at undermining the UMC in Liberia.
“This is not an isolated incident,” Mr. Knight remarked during a press conference over the weekend. “Similar acts of violence have been instigated by individuals trying to disrupt the UMC in favor of a new U.S.-based denomination, the Global Methodist Church.”
He pointed to a previous attack in June 2024 on Bishop Samuel Quire in Ganta City, Nimba County, where hired thugs assaulted the bishop, and in October 2024, Rev. Roland Clark’s vehicle was vandalized, and the reverend was mocked after false accusations spread by Rev. Jackson about Bishop Quire performing same-sex weddings.
The UMC Human Rights Monitor has therefore called for immediate action from the police to identify and arrest those responsible for the assault on the two UMC prelates.
Mr. Knight emphasized that protecting clergy members and maintaining peace within communities should be a top priority pointing out, “We urge the Liberia National Police to act swiftly to ensure that all perpetrators are held accountable and that such acts of violence do not happen again.”
“Clergy must be able to serve their communities in peace without fear of harm or intimidation.”
The UMC Human Rights Monitor’s statement marks the latest in a series of calls for greater accountability and protection for religious leaders in Liberia amidst increasing tensions within the church and broader societal unrest.
