Top Cop warns citizens against blocking roadway during protest

Feb 07, 2023 News

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– as thorough probe launched into Hopetown unrest 

Kaieteur News – In wake of two recent incidents where villagers blocked the roadway protesting various issues, Acting Commissioner of Police, Clifton Hicken on Monday appealed to members of the public to desist from such unlawful acts, warning the force will not countenance such behaviours.

The Commissioners’ appeal come in the wake of two recent incidents – one at Buxton, East Coast Demerara, on Wednesday, February 1, and the other Sunday evening at Hopetown, West Coast Berbice. The two incidents saw persons burning tires and other debris and setting vehicles alight as they resorted to blocking the roadways and preventing the smooth flow of traffic.

According to a police press release, Hicken made it clear that “this type of behaviour is unlawful and will not be tolerated.” He said those held accountable would face the full brunt of the law, and there would be a zero-tolerance approach from the Guyana Police Force to ensure that law and order are maintained throughout the country. On Sunday night a businessman’s son was assaulted and his car torched by angry residents after he crashed into two pedestrians at Hopetown, Berbice Region Five.  The accident victims were identified as a teenager and young adult in his twenties who might be a member of the Guyana Defence Force.

According to eyewitnesses, the accident occurred close to 18:00 hrs.  They recalled that the victims were walking “along the shoulder of the Hopetown Public Road” and were approaching the entrance of an adjacent street when the businessman’s son lost control of his car and crashed into them.

Public-spirited citizens ran to their assistance and rushed them reportedly to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital.  Videos surfaced of one of the victims seemingly unconscious, with shredded clothes and bruises being placed in a car that sped off with him.  Kaieteur News learnt that they were both admitted in a serious condition.  Meanwhile, other residents reportedly attacked the businessman’s son and gave him a sound trashing until he was rescued.

Cell phone recorded videos surfaced too of him being chucked, pushed around, slapped and punched before finally escaping the angry crowd. Kaieteur News understands that the businessman’s son was taken to a police station where he allegedly only reported the assault and then went to a hospital for treatment.  After receiving treatment ,his father then allegedly tried to take his son home but only after an intervention made by police and an Opposition Member of Parliament, was he was stopped and taken into custody to assist with investigations.

It is alleged that the businessman verbally abused the ranks for doing so but it was explained to him that even though his son was assaulted he still needs to be questioned about the accident he was involved in.

By this time angry residents had set the businessman’s son’s car ablaze and blocked the Hopetown Public Road.  Region Five police ranks were quickly able to restore the peace and cleared the road. At 21:30 hrs it was announced that traffic in the area was flowing smoothly again.

Thorough probe

Commander for Regional Division #5, Assistant Commissioner, Mr. Kurleigh Simon has since indicated that while the situation is back to normal at Hopetown a thorough investigation has been launched into all circumstances surrounding the incident there.

Giving its official version of the events, according to a police report, around 17:26 hrs a 19-year-old male of Bath Settlement, West Coast Berbice, went to the Fort Wellington Police Station and reported that around 17:15 hrs, he was driving motor car # PNN 1801 on the Hopetown Public Road, WCB, when two men on pedal cycles rode in front of him, causing him to collide with one of the men. He said that moments later, a crowd gathered at the scene and persons subsequently robbed him of his iPhone Pro Max and one gold chain away.

As a result of the report, a rank uplifted a medical certificate and attempted to escort the teen driver to seek medical attention at the Fort Wellington Public Hospital. As he was about to do so, the teenager’s father, a 43-year-old businessman of Bath Settlement, began verbally abusing the Police. The teen driver also refused to be escorted to the hospital, instead entering a motor vehicle which drove off.

The Police then left to visit the accident scene at Hopetown. On arrival, it was observed that the mentioned motor car was stationary on the southern footpath facing south with extensive damage to the front. There was no key in the vehicle and that an attempt by public-spirited citizens had been made to remove the vehicle from the said position, and take it the Fort Wellington Police Station. However, several angry residents lifted the vehicle back to the southern side of the road and began to damage the vehicle. The police at the scene tried to calm the crowd, but several persons began to vandalise the vehicle, and some chanted, “let’s burn the vehicle”.

Police further reported that they contacted a private tow truck service to take the vehicle to Fort Wellington Police Station. At around 19:00hrs on Sunday, the tow truck arrived, and whilst loading the motor car (bearing license plate number PNN 1801), several persons tried to prevent the vehicle from being loaded onto the truck.  At scene, Superintendent Guy Nurse, ASP Kelly, and a party of police ranks tried to calm the situation. However, the angry residents threw a liquid substance on the motor car and started to throw missiles at the vehicles (motor car PNN 1801 and the tow truck GXX 8069). The crowd became uncontrollable and damaged the front windshield of the tow truck (a motor Lorry), the side glass and other parts of the vehicle, and then they set fire to motor car #PNN 1801. The tow truck driver entered his vehicle and drove east along the said road, leaving motor car number PNN 1801 ablaze. The Guyana Fire Service was immidiately contacted, and Fire Tender #97 arrived at the scene and extinguished the fire. The now burnt out car, was later removed to the Fort Wellington Police Station.

An electrical cycle and a pedal cycle was also lodged at the Fort Wellington Police Station by police ranks.

According the police Information received that the two cyclists — a 22-year-old, who is a serving member of the Guyana Defense Force, and a 14-year-old pedal cyclist, were taken to Fort Wellington Public Hospital, where they were both seen and examined by a doctor on duty. The 14-year-old was treated and sent away. The 22-year-old was referred to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital, where he was further seen and examined by a doctor on duty. He was admitted as a patient at the said institution suffering from injuries to his head and body. His condition is listed as stable.

Only last week in Buxton on the lower east coast, residents had gone on a rampage burning a rice truck and setting fire to the roadway and committing robberies in the process, when one of their villagers was arrested by Customs Anti-Narcotics Unit agents. The man was allegedly caught with a quantity of marijuana and was trying to evade capture when ranks opened fire on him. Residents, upset about the incident subsequently took to the streets.

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• Buxton, Clifton Hicken, Guyana Defence Force, Mr. Kurleigh Simon, Top Cop

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