-Eze Rockliffe says
Eze Rockcliffe, leader of the Yoruba Singers band spent three hours in police custody after being arrested because of a noise nuisance report on Friday night, but he said the band was being targeted and that the police treated him unfairly.
His release came after a senior police officer intervened and $5,000 station bail was posted. Rockcliffe was initially being held on a bench at the station, but was thrown into the Brickdam lock-ups after ranks on duty overheard him asking his family to alert the media to his detention.
Rockcliffe was happy to be free yesterday, but he condemned the treatment meted out to him as result of the incident, which he referred to as “a sad episode and an attack on one of the last surviving bands.” He told Stabroek News that the entire incident could have been avoided had the police ranks been willing to apply simple reasoning.
The singer said the police approached him while he was in the middle of a performance at CCWU on Quamina Street and demanded that he shut off his music; he was informed that the group was disturbing a wake nearby. Rockcliffe declined to stop playing on the grounds that the Friday night gig was important to the band’s survival, but he offered to mute the celebrations. He also suggested that the outside speakers could be turned off to relieve the mourners nearby.
“If we don’t play there is no pay… CCWU is basically our workplace, we earn a living there so I begged them to see with the band and allow us to play quietly but they said the music had to be turned off since they were acting on orders by the commander,” Rockcliffe related.
He said that one police rank in the group deemed his suggestions fair and had agreed to leave the band playing at a more moderate level, but another rank kept insisting that Rockcliffe had to shut down completely. By refusing to stop entirely, Rockcliffe was arrested.
While at Brickdam Rockcliffe urged his relatives to alert the media and draw attention to what he said was an unfair arrest. According to him, a police rank overhead the conversation and immediately ordered that he be placed in the lock-ups. He remained there for three hours.
Rockcliffe said he understands how impacting noise can be, adding that he did not mean to upset the mourners. However, he said many older folks in the city go out every Friday night to hear the Yoruba Singers play and described his role as a musician as that of a “social doctor.” He said part of what his band does involves healing people through music.
After 38 years in the local music business Rockcliffe said he did not expect to be treated in such a manner. He said the police ranks could have been less harsh with him, and noted his dissatisfaction with being thrown into the Brickdam lock-ups. The singer said the lock-ups are unfit for holding humans or animals, adding that they reek of foul smells and are filthy.
“I was cooperating with the officers, it was not a case whereby Eze wanted to be bad and ignore the police, but they treated me so poorly,” he added.
Rockcliffe said the incident stabbed him in the heart and also wounded the spirit of his band members since they have enjoyed entertaining Guyanese for many years. He said the band is not sure if it would be allowed to play at CCWU this Friday, but noted that they hope things can be restored to normal.
Since his release Rockcliffe had to report to the station yesterday and is due to return tomorrow. He is hoping that the matter comes to an end soon.