10 Lindeners charged in relation to actions during protest
Georgetown GINA, August 14, 2012 -- Source - GINA
The Guyana Police Force has reported that 10 persons have been charged in relation to activities during the protest demonstrations in Linden which began on July 18, 2012. The men appeared in the Georgetown Magistrate’s court today before Magistrate Hazel Octave-Hamilton.
Glenroy Chapman, 34 years, of Half Mile, Wismar, was charged with throwing missiles, assaulting a peace officer and being in possession of component of ammunition. He was placed on bail on the first two charges and remanded to prison.
Ulric Lowenfield, 24 years, of Blue Berry Hill, Wismar; Garfield Jones, 44 years, of Silvertown, Wismar; Dexter Benjamin, 35 years, of Half Mile, Wismar; Kareen Ashby, 44 years; Ivan Webster, 29 years; and Delson Lampkin, 43 years, all of Amelia’s Ward, Linden; and Jamal Somerset, 19 years, of Wisroc Housing Scheme, Wismar, were all charged with throwing missiles. They have been placed on $7,500 bail each.
Ricky Fredericks, 44 years, of One Mile, Wismar, was charged with using indecent language and placed on $5,000 bail while Ron Bovell, 20 years, of Cinderella City, Wismar, was charged with carrying an offensive weapon and was placed on $10,000 bail.
All of those charged will return to court on September 17, 2012.
The Linden protest activity began as peaceful on July 18 with residents objecting to the Government’s proposal for increased tariffs on electricity rates. The protest somersaulted and pockets of violence saw several buildings being burnt and protestors facing off with the Joint Services who were sent to the community to restore law and order, and to remove blockades set up by the protesters.
On Sunday, August 12, the Joint Services reported that the One Mile Primary School at Wismar, Linden, was completely destroyed by fire. The security guard on duty at the school reported to the police that she was approached by three men armed with cutlasses who threatened to kill her if she did not remove from the location or if she attempted to raise an alarm.
The guard reportedly left the compound after which the building was broken into, computers stolen and was later seen on fire.
The Guyana Fire Service fire tender could not get to the scene of the fire owing to the blockages that had been placed along the roadways by protestors.
Residents of the Linden community subsequently brought in and handed over two men to the police at Wismar Police Station who they claimed were suspects in the attack on the One Mile Primary School.
Additionally, when the Joint Services began clearing blockages set up by protestors at various locations in the Wismar area, the police had to resort to the use of tear smoke to disperse large, unruly crowds of persons who were in the process of preventing the Joint Services from removing the obstacles.
Further, while clearing blockages in other locations, large crowds of persons confronted the Joint Services ranks and began throwing Molotov cocktails and missiles at them which included bricks, bottles and pieces of metal.
The police resorted to the use of tear smoke grenades, some of which were picked up by the protestors and thrown back at the Joint Services ranks. The police were forced to use shotgun pellets to disperse the very hostile crowds and three men were injured and taken for medical attention, while some were arrested.