Jamaican News, January 12, 2018
St Mary, Jamaica (Mckoy’s News) – Human Roadblock in St Mary: Police in Boscobel, St Mary was left motionless against dozens of angry residents in the area who used their bodies as roadblocks in protest of what they say is the police killing of a man known as Blessed, of Gully Road in the parish. Member of Parliament for the area, who is also Jamaica’s National Security Minister, Robert Montague was called in to mediate the matter.
Early Thursday morning, St. Mary residents took to the Boscobel main road, which is a major passage road connecting the parishes of St. Mary and St. Ann, to protest the police killing of a resident who they say was a good youth.
The man who is identified only as “Blessed,” residents say was shot an killed by police on Wednesday night, January 10.
Human Roadblock in St Mary: Police efforts to clear the roadblocks were useless as the Gully Road residents became human roadblocks, using their bodies to form a crowd in blocking the roadway. Senior police officers were called to the scene, including Head of the Area Two police, Norman Heywood, but his urges fell on deaf ears, as the residents refused to move, bringing traffic to a standstill on the major passageway.
When the police attempted to let through some vehicles, the angry residents pounced on the lawmen and rushed to cover the roadway in debris, including large stones, pieces of trees, old refrigerators and a huge garbage dispenser, as the police looked on, afraid to incite a police-residents riot.
Persons going to work and school in the parishes of St Ann and St Mary were left stranded for hours.
The police say, Blessed, who operated a shop in the area, pulled an illegal gun on them before they fired and killed him. However, the residents say “that is a lie” – they say Blessed was wrongfully killed.
National Security Minister, Robert Montague, who arrived on the scene after 11 am, spoke to the crowd, urging witnesses to speak to the police so that the official investigation can begin.
Minister Montague stood with Jamaica’s police commissioner, George Quallo, who accompanied him, as he beckoned the Boscobel residents to tell George Quallo their side of the incident and killing.
He also spoke privately with the mother of the man who was shot and killed by the police.