Man claims police brutality, cops say obstruction of justice

Jul 09, 2018 News

Bjorn Watson, a 35 year old security guard, is claiming the police beat him wrongfully after he spoke up for another individual’s rights.
But the police are alleging obstruction of justice on Watson’s part.
Watson said he left work on Tuesday morning and was heading to the Sophia bus park, when he noticed four police ranks in the vicinity of Demico, some of whom were holding a dreadlocked man by his “natty”.
Watson said he stopped and asked the police, “Why they doing the man so”, and “If was a woman, if they would be pulling her hair like that”.

Bjorn Watson shows his injuries received from what he claims is police beating him

He said he was still in the area when a police van came and the ranks arrested him.
He claimed they threw him into the back of the police van and kicked and stomped him in the stomach. He alleged that a gun was even placed in his mouth.
Watson claimed that he was taken to Brickdam Police Station, placed into a room and beaten some more. He made his allegations on Thursday afternoon after he was placed on bail and told to return the next day.
Watson said that was only because a senior officer came and asked what he was doing on the bench, then told the other ranks to put him on bail.
Reached by Kaieteur news, the most senior rank said that the police were conducting an operation in the Stabroek Market area, when they witnessed a Rastafarian selling illicit drugs.
The rank said that they were arresting the man, who was putting up a fight. At this time the officer claimed, Watson who was nearby began to verbally abuse the ranks.
Although warned, Watson reportedly continued to verbally abuse the ranks. After arresting the suspect, they then informed Watson that they were also arresting him.
However, the policeman said that Watson put up a fight, forcing the ranks to subdue him.
He was then taken to Brickdam Police Station where he was told of the offences and later placed on bail and asked to return the next day.
The officer also said he relayed to Watson that he could register a complaint with the Police Complaints Authority.
Watson returned to this publication on Friday, and claimed that police were giving him the run-around.
At the scene of the arrest one individual said that the police were doing their work, which was very much needed in that area, where the peddling of drugs and numerous robberies occur.
This individual also said that Watson was “talking up, while the police doing they work and the Rasta man de trying to get away”.
Watson responded by claiming that he learnt that another individual was selling drugs and the dreadlocked man intervened and attempted to help him to escape from the police.