Protests in a number of West Coast Berbice villages are ongoing with more roads being blocked as some are being cleared.

This morning, more members of the Riot Squad of the Guyana Police Force were dispatched to the villages including Belladrum where the protests started on Sunday.

During a stand-off with protesters this morning as attempts were being made to clear the roads, the Police fired rubber bullets to clear the area. A protester was injured to the chest with a number of wounds from the rubber bullets. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.

At least one Police officer was also injured as angry protesters lobbied pieces of wood and bottle in the direction of the riot police.

The protests started on Sunday as villagers demanded the release of Returning Officer Clairmont Mingo from Police custody. He was granted bail today after being charged for misconduct in public office.

Mingo is from the West Berbice.

Villagers believe he has been treated unfairly by the Police after he was held in Police custody without bail for five days.

The Guyana Police Force is not pleased with the protests and has indicated that it will continue to use lawful means to disperse the gatherings and clear the roadways.

In a statement today, the Police Force said while it recognizes the constitutional rights of citizens to peaceful protests, “when such protests degenerate into a series of unlawful activities, the Police Force would have to take necessary action”.

The Force said it has been making diligent efforts in the maintenance of public safety and the movement of traffic which has been impeded for several hours throughout the West Berbice communities because of the protests and blockages to the roadways.

The Police Force said it will remain persistent in the maintenance of Law and Order and Public Safety and Security in keeping with its role.

In a statement to the Government’s Department of Public Information, Home Affairs Minister Robeson Benn called the protests “unnecessary and unfortunate”.

He said he recognises the right of citizens to protest, but he believes the protest should be peaceful.

Back in March this year, similar protests broke out at Lusignan on the East Coast and at Bath Settlement in West Berbice. Those protests, however, were against allegations of electoral fraud. A number of policemen were injured in Bath Settlement and a protester was shot dead while he attacked a policeman with a cutlass.

Related posts:

Police must stop the indiscriminate firing of pellets and bullets into crowds -Norton Prime Minister and other Ministers shouted down and blocked during West Berbice village GDF ranks deployed to assist Police in clearing West Coast Berbice roads as protests continue Cotton tree protester shot dead while attacking police with cutlass; two officers hospitalised with chop wounds -Police report