Police were last evening forced to fire pellets at an irate crowd which launched an attack on law enforcers after they instructed that a large music set on the Windsor Forest, West Coast Demerara seawall be turned off. A number of persons were injured.
Commander of ‘D’ Division, Balram Persaud told this newspaper this morning that several persons suffered pellet injuries while some police officers also sustained injuries inflicted by members of the crowd.
Several persons were arrested following the incident that occurred at around 8 pm.
According to Persaud, persons on the West Coast were enjoying the Easter celebrations and in the process had taken sets to the seawalls to aid in their enjoyment. At around 7:30 pm lawmen from the division proceeded to the area and instructed that all sets be turned off as none of them had permission and were disturbing residents in the various villages.
“All of them complied but when the police left, the one at Windsor Forest turned on back the music and turned it up loudly and the police were again called,” the Assistant Commissioner said.
He said when the officers returned to the location and were proceeding to have the set turned off persons in the crowd attacked them.
“The officers were attacked and then persons went on the road and started breaking up vehicles and so on… They then block the roads with tyres…” Persaud said.
Persaud said that the police were forced to fire a few shots in an effort to control the crowd and in the process a few persons were injured with pellets.
The persons along with the policemen who were injured had to seek medical attention but Persaud could not say if any of them were admitted.
The police this afternoon released the following statement on the matter:
“At about 1900h. last night Monday April 25, 2011, the police in “D” Division (West Demerara/East Bank Essequibo) commenced closing down music sets that were playing at Easter activities in the Division which included the Joe Vieira Park at Schoon Ord, WBD, the Windsor Forest Seawall, WCD, and Kastev Housing Scheme, Meten-Meer-Zorg, WCD. During the day the police had received several reports of noise nuisance at the Leonora and Den Amstel Police Stations from citizens.
“Initially the operators of the music systems at all the locations complied and the sets were turned off. However, at about 1945h. a stereo system at the Windsor Forest Seawall, for which no permission was granted to play, started to play loud music again.
“Further reports of noise nuisance were received by the police and a team of three police ranks, Corporal 18372 Sherwin Smith, Constable 20724 Oswin Fordyce and Constable 20483 Kevin Fileen, went and requested the operators to turn off the music system; whereupon they came under attack by a number of persons on the seawall who threw stones, bottles and other missiles at the ranks and rushed them and attempted to take away their firearms. As a result a scuffle ensued between the police ranks and the group of men during which the ranks received injuries to their bodies but managed to hold on to their firearms and arrest five of the men who were taken to the Leonora Police Station.
“Later, at about 2015h. information was received by the police that persons were blocking the public roadway at Windsor Forest and were burning tires and other materials on the roadway and obstructing the free flow of traffic.
“The police went to scene and came under attack with bottles, stones and other missiles being thrown at them and the police responded by discharging a round from a shotgun at the crowd which caused them to disperse.
“The police also arrested eight more persons who were also taken to the Leonora Police Station.
“It was subsequently found that two motor cars and a mini-bus that were parked on the Windsor Forest public road were damaged and this is suspected to have been done by persons among the crowd.
“The three injured police ranks were treated at the Leonora Cottage Hospital and sent away.
“Members of the Police Office of Professional Responsibilities were called in and have launched an investigation into the matter.”
