Salisbury, Dominica (TDN) Shouts of ‘Salisbury ahead’ echoed outside a Magistrate’s court in Roseau as the Salisbury Six made their triumphant exit from a short court hearing on Tuesday morning. The six were arrested on Thursday June 11, 2015 by armed Police for their alleged role in the May 11 farmers’ protest in Salisbury, Dominica.
Magistrate Candia Carette George told Peter Vanty Vidal, Sonia Euzebe, Gilbert Frederick, Alex Howe, Keith Bougouneau and Hillary John that they were required to reappear in court on October 27, 2015. She also indicated that the charge of riotious and tumultuous behavior was an indictable matter and that it would be tried before a jury of their peers.
The legal authorities relied on the Dominica Riot Act of 1897 to charge the six residents of Salisbury for a major May 11 protest in which they demanded access to their farms and the upkeep of the feeder roads to their holdings. Residents set up roadblocks before Police moved in with teargas and live rounds to disperse the crowds.
There was a repeat of the carnage following the arrests of the six on Thursday with Police deploying tear gas and live ammunition as they were pummeled by villagers with Molotov cocktails, stones and other projectiles.
Residents of Salisbury had demanded that all charges against the six be dropped or they would continue their protests. Today’s ruling appears to have reduced the immediate tensions but the level of resentment and mistrust by the villagers continue.
The public have expressed outrage at the Skerrit Administration for reigniting tensions in the village by moving to arrests protestors a full month after the riots, and worse making use of an archaic law to attempt to have them jailed.
Rayburn Blackmore minister of National Security has in particular come in for the brunt of the criticisms for vowing to “teach villagers a lesson” for participating in the protests.
Meanwhile, the opposition United Workers Party (UWP) have called for an urgent meeting on Wednesday to include prime minister Roosevelt Skerrit, Opposition Leader Lennox Linton, Bishop Malzaire, Salisbury Member of Parliament Hector John and presidents of the Dominica Christian Council and Evangelical Association to discuss the issue “with a view to fostering a peaceful and just ending in the best interest of our country.”
Cara Shillingford one of the lawyers for the six said her clients were innocent and should not be blamed for what happened in Salisbury. “If a Commission of inquiry is held into the matter it will show clearly that my clients are not responsible for the Salisbury riots and as such the charges must be dropped, she added.
SALISBURY 6 MATER POSTPONED TO OCTOBER 27, 2015. Lawyer Cara Shillingford talks just moments after the 6 appeared before a magistrate in Roseau. Reaction in this video.
Posted by TDN on Tuesday, June 16, 2015
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