MONROVIA, Jumada I 20, 1437, February 29, 2016, SPA -- Police fired teargas and threw stones at a crowd which gathered near a courthouse in the Liberian capital Monrovia on Monday to demand the release of a political activist charged with sedition, a Reuters witness said. Street violence is rare in a country that has enjoyed stability and democracy since the end of a civil war in 2003 and the incident will be seen as a sign of increased political tension ahead of elections in October 2017. Dozens of protesters sought the release of Vandalark Patricks, believing the founder of youth advocacy group SURE-Liberiahe would be brought from prison to the Temple of Justice which houses the main courthouse after his arrest last week. In the event, he was not brought to court. Patricks was charged with sedition after making specific allegations of government involvement in a series of high-profile deaths over several years in the West African country. --SPA 23:40 LOCAL TIME 20:40 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w