It is proving to be a challenge for the Caribbean Against Apartheid in Palestine (CAAP) to acquire approval from the Commissioner of Police (COP) for a protest march to support Palestine. You will recall the march planned for May 25, 2024 had to be cancelled because the COP had concerns the protest action represented a threat to national security at the time – Barbados was hosting the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
It is months later with no current international event to consider and the group continues to be denied approval for the march in a democratic Barbados. A recent media report suggested Commissioner Richard Boyce ‘queried’ CAAP organiser Lalu Hanuman’s impatience, see Nation newspaper report.
It should come as no surprise the sloth of decision making coming from the COP’s office, it is almost 2 months since the COP promised a report on the ‘slapping incident’ by one of his officers on Kadooment day – see Policeman beating citizen under investigation. How is it the COP is unable to comprehend that his nonchalant attitude will not help to foster the best community relations with its public? Especially at a time the Barbados Police Service (BPS) needs all the assistance it can get with the worrying crime situation?
Come on Commissioner Boyce, you must do better!
Activist unhappy with delay from top cop’s office
by BARRY ALLEYNE
ATTORNEY AND SOCIAL ACTIVIST Lalu Hanuman is questioning why an official request for a protest march has not been approved.
He said he has asked the Commissioner of Police for permission to host a Rally Against Zionist Genocide on October 11 under Section 10 of the Public Order Act.
However, Commissioner of Police Richard Boyce has queried his “impatience”, adding the matter was still being processed.
Hanuman lamented that the written request was sent to the Commissioner’s office on September 10, but up to now, no approval has been granted for the proposed rally. He added that a reminder letter was sent on September 24.
“It has been 17 days today (yesterday) since the initial letter was hand-delivered to the Commissioner’s office and four days since the reminder letter was hand delivered, without any response or even an acknowledgement from the Commissioner,” he told the DAILY NATION over the weekend.
The protest is aimed at raising awareness to the plight of people of Palestine being affected by the war along the Gaza Strip between Israel and Hamas.
Hanuman noted that a previous request was given the thumbs-down.
“On the last occasion that we tried to picket the Israeli Consul’s Office, we were told that permission was refused largely because of the T20 (ICC Men’s T20 World Cup held in Barbados), even though our date was ahead of the start of the T20 matches in Barbados,” he said.
The lawyer said he found it surprising the latest protest request had not been approved, with even Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley speaking out about ending the war.
On Friday, in a speech to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Mottley not only called for a global reset, but said all wars in the world now must end.
She spoke directly after Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Our Prime Minister has valiantly called out the happenings in Gaza as a ‘televised genocide’. Why are we being prevented from practising our rights of freedom of assembly and speech?” Hanuman asked.
“We should be allowed to picket outside of the genocide state’s diplomatic mission, and Barbados and CARICOM should immediately sever links with the genocide state.”
When contacted, Boyce confirmed his office was in receipt of the request for the protest action, but said the matter had plenty of time to be completed.
“The request has come to my office and is being dealt with. The proposed event is to be on the 11th of next month. I don’t see any reason for the impatience,” he said.
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