Following the arrest of 26 individuals by the Ghana Police Service for brandishing and indiscriminately firing toy guns in public, youth in Kumasi have shifted to using vuvuzelas and balloons to avoid further trouble with the authorities.
A recent trend in Kumasi, Ashanti Region, saw the youth transforming streets, malls, and neighborhoods into mock battlegrounds, engaging in dramatic toy gun battles that sometimes mimicked robbery scenarios. Videos shared on X (formerly Twitter) captured groups of young people participating in these activities, with some toy guns even fitted with firecrackers to enhance the spectacle.
The public’s reaction was mixed, prompting police intervention. The arrests were made on grounds of breaching public peace, and the suspects are currently assisting with investigations. Toy guns retrieved from the suspects have been taken as evidence, while police operations continue to clamp down on others engaging in the act.
In response to the arrests, the youth have embraced vuvuzelas and balloons as their new tools of entertainment. However, this shift has drawn fresh criticism, with many describing the blaring vuvuzelas on the streets as a form of noise pollution.
Kumasi has dropped a new trend following police action and warnings against their toy gun trend. With the new trend, the youth are now generating noise using various types of whistles and balloons. pic.twitter.com/LrUUm6uywI
— EDHUB🌍ℹ (@eddie_wrt) November 26, 2024
The police have issued a strong caution to the youth, urging them to refrain from such acts, emphasizing that offensive conduct conducive to breaches of the peace is an offence under Section 207 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29). Investigations are ongoing, and those involved will face justice.
