Police & Army showing ‘maximum restraint’ with protestors - Guyana Police Force
POLICE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICE
Police Headquarters, Eve Leary, Georgetown
Tel: 225-5401 or 227-2685
January 28, 2008
PRO: 2/1/1
News Editors,
JOINT SERVICES PRESS RELEASE
After showing maximum restraint over the past two days in dealing with persons who are protesting on the East Coast of Demerara and which spread today to Bath, on the West Coast of Berbice, the police were forced to use tear smoke and pellets to disperse crowds of persons who refused to desist from their unlawful acts, even after being spoken to by the police and Ministers of the Government.
At about 05:20h. today at Bath , West Coast Berbice, approximately 350 persons, including cane harvesters in possession of cutlasses, blocked the road at Bath in the vicinity of the market with pieces of wood, tyres, trailers and other obstacles. The crowd peaked to over a 1000 persons at around 08:40h. with traffic at a standstill on both sides of the blockage.
Despite pleas from the police, the Minister of Home Affairs, the Minister of Health and the Regional Chairman the crowd refused to move.
At about 12:25h. the police attempted to physically remove the obstacles blocking the road and a number of protesters, some of whom had cutlasses in their possession, began throwing missiles at the police and rushed forward menacingly to the ranks. They were warned to desist but again refused causing the police to respond to use of tear smoke and shotgun pellets.
Five persons were injured including Detective Inspector Joel David who received injuries to his right hand. The other persons injured are Sargoo Persaud and Silchan Sunchuree of Bath , Chamanlall of #11 Village, WCB, and Tyson Vyphuis of #9 Village, WCB. Vyphuis was treated at the Fort Wellington Hospital and sent away while the other four were referred to the GPHC.
The crowd dispersed and the roadway was subsequently cleared by the police ranks which allowed traffic to flow freely.
Also in Berbice at about 13:25h. a number of persons blocked the road at Belladrum using two coconut tree trunks. This was quickly removed by the police.
A total of 39 persons were arrested by the police for various offences and subsequently placed on bail.
On the East Coast of Demerara a crowd of persons blocked the Railway Embankment at Good Hope and Lusignan and set alight a number of tyres in the process. Again, despite being spoken to by the police, they refused to desist from their actions and the police were forced to use tear smoke to disperse the crowd in order for the roadway to be cleared.
Earlier the police had advised schools in the area, especially at Lusignan, to close in view of the ongoing protest action and information was received that other schools in the vicinity would not be opening because of the same reason.
At about 12:30h. a crowd of approximately 350 persons, some of whom were under the influence of alcohol, blocked the Mon Repos Public Road in the vicinity of the market using derelict vehicles, tyres, pieces of iron, sand and other materials and set them on fire. They started hurling missiles at the police and passing vehicles, and breaking bottles on the roadway. Despite being warned by the police they refused to desist from their action causing the police to again use tear smoke to disperse the crowd and clear the roadway.
Subsequently reports were received that 30 school children attending the Urmilla Institute at Mon Repos, North were affected by the tear smoke and had to be taken to GPHC for medical treatment.
They were treated and sent away, but one of them suffered a relapse and was admitted to the St. Joseph Mercy Hospital .
A total of 12 persons have been arrested for various offences including the assault of police ranks.
The Joint Services are monitoring the situation with patrols being maintained in the area.
The Joint Services are also continuing in their efforts to arrest Rondell Rawlins and other criminal elements who are believed to be hiding out on the East Coast of Demerara and are once again calling on persons who may have information that can lead to the arrest of these wanted criminals to pass on this information to the Joint Services.
Roadblocks, searches and heightened patrols and special operations are continuing by the Joint Services.
Ivelaw Whittaker
Public Relations and Press Officer
