Following a protest at the Square of the Revolution, executive member of the People’s National Congress Reform (PNCR) Aubrey Norton and several others were yesterday detained after Police claimed that they attempted to lead an illegal procession down Regent Street.
In the statement last night the Police said that nine persons were arrested for illegal procession.
“They were all released on $10,000 bail as further investigations are under-way,” the two-line statement concluded.
Norton however maintains that not only was he not leading a procession but that the police targeted him after he joined a protest in support of the people.
“I don’t know why they arrested me. I was on Regent Street. The proces-sion was coming on Vlissengen Road and the police they came and just arrested me. I was alone on Regent Street it was only after they accosted me that others came over to support me,” he explained
Norton stressed that he neither led the protest nor did he organise the protest.
“The protesters were objecting to mandatory vaccination, discrimination against persons they per-ceive to be supporters of the APNU+AFC, wide-spread corruption and the mishandling of both the COVID-19 pandemic and the economy. Since I consider myself to be a Guyanese willing to stand against these issue I came out in support. I am a Guyanese who is willing to fight with others against injustices,” he explained.
It remains unclear who actually organised the pro-test. While calls for protest have proliferated across social media, no one has stepped forward as the organiser.
Acting Leader of the Opposition Roysdale Forde has told Stabroek News that neither he nor his office organised this particular protest nor issued a call for a shut-down of the capital city.
“As far as I’m aware the protest was a response to the most recent vaccination directives. Persons are protesting the coercive methods deployed by the government. We support persons who protested but we did not call and/ arrange a protest,” he said.
In an attempt to combat vaccine hesitancy the government has directed that anyone seeking to enter a building accessible to the public must either be vaccinated or provide a recent negative PCR test.
Some members of the public have responded with outrage and the mining town of Linden last week implemented a one-day shutdown in protest.
All private businesses in the community closed their doors and both teachers and students stayed home.
Within the religious community, several Christian denominations have remained closed to physical meetings or refused to comply with the measure completely. While others have willingly complied. All have urged their members to be “their brothers’ keeper” and get vaccinated for the common good.
