–in violent displays at Magistrates’ court, Stabroek area
A group of protesters mobilised by the Mohameds family resorted to violence against the police and disorder outside of the Georgetown Magistrates’ Court and the wider Stabroek area, on Monday.
The actions were condemned as a premeditated attempt to create instability in keeping with continuous threats from persons close to the party and family.
What began yesterday morning as a demonstration outside the courthouse, calling for the release of Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed, deteriorated sharply by afternoon. Supporters of the We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) party hurled missiles at police ranks, charged through barricades towards officers, and set objects alight along roadways in the Stabroek Market area.
Police were seen extinguishing fires at several locations while attempting to regain control of the area, as some demonstrators continued to confront ranks.
During the morning, protesters were relatively orderly, with only occasional flare-ups while Mohamed’s extradition proceedings continued before Chief Magistrate Judy Latchman.
The situation changed as police prepared to transport Mohamed back to the Lusignan Prison, where he remains on remand on a separate charge under the Cybercrime Act. It was then that missiles began flying at officers and barricades went up in the surrounding streets.
WIN officials and the Mohameds family attempted to maintain the claim that it was a peacful protest despite the full display of violence and aggression being captured on camera.
The violence came just a day after a livestream in which Melissa “Melly Mel” Atwell, Bradly Sampson, also known as “Doggie”, and Michael “Bigz Mike” Williams called for violent resistance and threatened action against the Guyana Police Force, following Mohamed’s remand to prison.
Criticising what she described as the silence of the diplomatic corps, Atwell urged the public to take to the streets.
“Whatever got to happen got to happen,” she said, adding that if it came to a crisis or an uproar, so be it. She also made threatening remarks directed at members of the Police Force and called for an escalation of public action, declaring, “Unless ExxonMobil building burns down they won’t care.” The trio also urged Guyanese to target ExxonMobil’s local office.
Atwell is wanted in Guyana in connection with several cybercrime offences and libel cases involving defamation.
The remarks followed Mohamed’s appearance with Police Constable Ryan Greene before Magistrate Abigail Gibbs at the Sparendaam Magistrate’s Court last Friday. Both were remanded until November 24 over the alleged unauthorised transfer of police surveillance footage and an alleged $800,000 payment. Police allege Greene downloaded footage from a surveillance system and supplied it to Mohamed in exchange for payment. The footage relates to the October 12 shooting incident outside Narine’s Kitty residence. Both men pleaded not guilty, and their attorneys argued for bail.
The public calls for disorder, followed within a day by barricades, missiles and fires, have drawn a line between the rhetoric and the events outside the courthouse.
Yesterday’s disorder is not the first time the police have had to deal with WIN elements. Not long ago, an illegal demonstration was staged near State House, led by the Mohamed sisters.
Critics say the State House demonstration, the threats made during the livestream and the disorder at the Magistrates’ Court point to a pattern of escalation rather than isolated flare-ups.
Earlier in the day, Chief Magistrate Latchman refused an application to revoke Mohamed’s bail in the extradition proceedings, ruling that separate pending criminal charges were insufficient grounds. He remains in custody on the Cybercrime Act charge.
