Early this morning, the police and army accompanied by the water cannon swooped down on the Kara Kara bridge and other blockades and removed them but residents who have been protesting over power tariffs since July 18 have begun barricading the road again.
There were two separate operations by the Joint Services. One detachment descended on the protest camp at Kara Kara early this morning when there were only a few persons there and dispersed them. They then removed the blockade which had become the iconic symbol of the protest in which three people were killed by police and at least 20 others injured on July 18.
Another detachment came up the Linden-Soesdyke Highway with a bulldozer, the much talked about $20M Water Cannon and two trucks and cleared the blocks at Bamia and those along the Amelia’s Ward Highway.
At one of the blockades at Amelia’s Ward, women threw themselves prostrate along the road wailing and crying ‘Wah we do suh, all we want is jobs for we children, we need justice for we men wah deh murder, we need Justice.”
The Joint Services ranks then moved down to the Kara Kara Bridge where they remain. Reports had originally stated that the water cannon was used on the protesters but sources have since said that an attempt was made to use it but it did not work.
One man complained that following the clearance of the Kara Kara Bridge, ranks were forcing persons to head in the direction of Amelia’s Ward. “That was utter nonsense we had to stand up to them and let them know we going to the other directions and they eventually allowed us to go our free way”.
As word spread throughout the community persons have started coming out, some converging at the Kara Kara Bridge while others went to the Wismar/Mackenzie Bridge.
A blockade is currently being put back at the Amelia’s Ward main road with burning tyres and scrap iron.