Found at: http://www.anguillaguide.com/article/articleprint/4916/-1/135/

Mob Forces Police To Free Man In Custody


The decision of the Police in Anguilla to stop a demonstration by Indian construction workers, walking to the Valley in protest of their cause, turned into an ugly situation on Tuesday, July 3.


Police Officer releasing man from Police vehicle
Police Officer releasing man from Police vehicle
A large number of angry Anguillians, supporting the foreign workers, filled the road just below the entrance to Long Bay, already jammed by vehicles causing a halt to the flow of traffic.

A crescendo of voices filled the air as the crowd shouted to the police to allow the march to proceed. This continued for some time following which the Indians were allowed to walk single file in long rows to the Valley on the right-hand side of the road and in the sweltering mid-morning heat.


Struggle between police and Anguillians
Struggle between police and Anguillians
As the Indians passed by quietly, some occasionally raising their hands, a group of local people surrounded one of the police vehicles parked in the middle of the road. They quickly moved over just past the junction to a section of the Long Bay road where another police vehicle was parked. Inside was, Dwayne Duncan, a young man, who was taken into custody.

The largely-increased crowd blocked the vehicle, kept the UK police officers at bay and a struggle ensued. Some persons, including Ralph Hodge, did much to restrain a number of the protesters and should be commended for their peace-making efforts. During the most unfortunate and regrettable scuffle, some of the policemen and local persons were manhandled and assaulted.

Inspector Paul Sinclair, the UK officer in charge of the police operation, went around the western part of the vehicle, opened the back door and released Duncan whom they had in custody, thus avoiding further trouble.
The Inspector walked across to the other police vehicle on the main road where he spoke in an interview with Ras B of Heart Beat Radio. In a voice filled with emotion, he said he had taken the decision to release the man in order to avoid persons getting hurt in the explosive situation. He added that the Commissioner of Police, Keithly Benjamin, had directed that the Indian workers should be allowed to march to The Valley in single file.

The crowd and the traffic jam slowly dispersed as the situation ended, while the Indians headed to The Valley.




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