East Coast Demerara : There was a PPP/C public meeting scheduled to take place at Victoria gas station road, ECD in front of the Victoria primary school last evening.
Mr Joseph Hamilton was the first speaker and he begun to speak at about 6.15pm. There were about 150 persons gathered at the place of the meeting. A majority of them were armed with APNU posters and plaque cards bearing the name APNU and bearing derogatory and racist remarks regarding Mr Hamilton and the PPP/C. They were shouting very loudly and chanting the name “Granger” and “PNC”. In short, their behaviour was disorderly and unruly. The noise level prevented Mr Hamilton from being heard over the microphone and obviously affected his ability to make a proper presentation. While Mr Hamilton was speaking, on several occasions they attempted to storm the podium and the Police had to intervene to prevent them from getting their hands on the podium and Hamilton. On many occasions, they threw their posters and plaque cards almost in the face of Hamilton. As a result, Mr Hamilton was forced to conclude his presentation. As Mr Hamilton left the meeting, missiles were thrown at him and at his vehicle.
The next speaker was Mr Anil Mr Nandlall. Again, the crowd continued with its disorderly and ruckus conduct, on many occasions throwing their placards and posters at him while he was speaking. Also, a member of the crowd set on fire a PPP poster and waved it in front of Mr Nandlall as he was speaking. A glass coke bottle was also pelted and it hit the podium. On several occasions, while Mr Nandlall was speaking the crowd attempted to grab the podium but the police had to physically intervene to create a human barricade between the crowd and Mr Nandlall. All this time, they were chanting and shouting and cursing, proclaiming their support for APNU, Granger and PNC.
As a result, Mr Nandlall could hardly have been heard over the microphone and like Mr Hamilton he was forced to conclude his presentation. When he finished the police and PPP supporters escorted him to the Public Road and he left for another speaking engagement at another public meeting.
When Mr Nandlall left, the crowd then turned their attention to the PPP supporters and activists on the ground and physically beat and assaulted five persons. One PPP activists was doused with kerosene oil and the crowd was going to light him afire. At the same time, another PPP activist was pelted with a bottle that hit him in the face and a man armed with a baseball bat then charged another PPP activist who had a licence firearm and the PPP activist discharged two rounds in the air. It was only then that the crowd receded and the police intervened and took the PPP supporters and activists to the Cove and John Police Station.
