The police last night acknowledged that shotgun cartridges were fired in the direction of the crowd of protesting Lindeners yesterday but did not mention any deaths since the force said that is has “been unable to acquire sufficient information.”
In giving the sequence of events in a statement released at 10:31 last night, the police said that yesterday residents of Linden were involved in protest demonstrations against the rise in electricity tariff and at about 10:40am, approximately 450 persons marched from the Wismar Community Centre Ground to the Wismar/Mackenzie bridge where they blocked the bridge and prevented motor vehicles from crossing. Subsequently persons among the protestors who had grown to about 1,000 in number erected tents on the bridge and also placed derelict vehicles and logs across the bridge at several points, the statement said.
The police said that the protestors remained on the bridge and refused to move despite efforts by the police under the Divisional Commander who continuously pleaded with them to remove. The statement said that at about 6pm, the Officer-in-Charge of the police riot unit which had arrived on the scene warned the protestors to remove as they were blocking the bridge and in breach of the law.
“They however continued to remain on the bridge while chanting that they will not remove and that they are not paying any increase in electricity tariff,” the statement said.
It said that the police again told the protestors that they were breaking the laws and that they should remove from the bridge, but they again refused and began hurling bottles, bricks and other missiles at the ranks of the police riot unit. At this stage the Officer-in-Charge of the unit again told them that they were unlawful and read the warning proclamation to them, the police said.
“The protestors continued hurling missiles at the police and began advancing towards the ranks and tear smoke grenades were used by the police in a further effort to remove the protestors. Some of the protestors dispersed but a large number of persons still remained on the bridge and began setting fires on the bridge while continuing to chant and throw missiles towards the police,” the police said.
“The police discharged shotgun cartridges in the direction of the crowd resulting in a few persons being injured.
However, the police have so far been unable to acquire sufficient information from the Mackenzie Hospital staff in order to verify the persons injured and the extent of their injuries as a hostile crowd is gathered outside of the Hospital,” it added.
The police said that the protestors removed from the Wismar/Mackenzie bridge and proceeded to block the Washer Pond Road, Mackenzie, and also set fire to the GRA building on Washer Pond Road.
Personnel from the Guyana Fire Service responded but were prevented from going into action by a number of protestors who threw missiles at the ranks and their vehicle, they added.
The statement added that the protesters were subsequently removed by the police and proceeded to the five-corner area at the junction of Sir David Rose Avenue, Mackenzie. The Wismar/Mackenzie bridge was cleared by the police who are maintaining a presence and traffic is now traversing the bridge.
“Roving groups of protestors have also destroyed a truck transporting fuel which was set afire at Wismar and damaged an excavator and have also set fires along the roadway at Half Mile and One Mile, Wismar.
Additional police ranks have been dispatched to the community to reinforce the ranks already on the ground,” the statement said.
It added that the Joint Services will be patrolling the area and the police are appealing to residents to remain calm.
