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ARRESTS AT CARICOM: Lincoln Bain detained during Baha Mar protest, Tribune reporter's phone taken by police officer

Thu, Feb 16th 2023, 07:37 AM
Crime Politics Tribune Stories

POLICE arrested activist Lincoln Bain as he and his supporters tried to demonstrate outside Baha Mar where regional leaders were gathered ahead of CARICOM meetings.

Mr Bain documented the protest on social media, going live on Facebook before his arrest. He claimed he and about 20 others were paid guests of Baha Mar.
#He said they would not be protesting on the hotel’s premises but that the “street is ours” which is where he suggested they would gather.
#Mr Bain was seen speaking privately with police as the number of supporters grew to a small group assembled on the sidewalk on the hotel’s property.
#Supporters started to become upset when they saw barricades being put outside.
#Mr Bain moved the supporters away from the hotel’s entrance so he could explain what happened.
#“Ladies and gentlemen, we just had an interesting experience dealing with the police just now. I mean they were just calling everyone in the world just now to just try to get some help because they said … that’s what Wayne Munroe said, we wasn’t going to be able to protest here.
#“The police came and told me they want to talk with me but they wanted me to go to walk across street with them. I said I’m not going in no bush. They wanted me to go over there in the bush to talk ... Eventually decided that they will talk to me right here... He said ‘You all aren't allowed to be here’. He said ‘did you get a permit?’ I said ‘no law requires us to get a permit.’ I said, ‘which law requires us to get a permit?’”
Mr Bain said after some back and forth with the officer about the issue, he told the officer that it is “illegal to interfere with a lawful assembly” adding that he showed the officer he was “a paying guest and many of us are paying guests” at Baha Mar.
#However, the situation escalated when Deputy Commissioner Leamond Deleveaux arrived on the scene telling the group they needed to leave “now”.
#Eventually, a number of officers took Mr Bain into a car while supporters shouted at officers, asking what he was being arrested for. A few supporters were pushed into other cars. Some people were on the ground as police arrested them.
#It was not known why they were arrested.
#During the incident, an officer in plain clothes grabbed a Tribune female reporter’s iPhone as she filmed what was going on.
#After minutes of explaining to the individual that the woman was a reporter, the phone was returned - however, the officer did not explain why the phone was taken.
The Tribune then went across the street as police handcuffed a Lincoln Bain supporter. A man was heard saying, “Make sure their phone and things off”.
#A few officers surrounded The Tribune’s male photographer at one point, however he was let go once it was explained he was with this newspaper and doing his job.
#This is not the first time Mr Bain has been in trouble with law enforcement.
#In October 2022, he with several supporters were arrested outside the House of Assembly after scores of them were at Parliament Square demanding that the government tackle what they deemed an “immigration crisis”.
#Mr Bain and eight others were later charged in Magistrate’s Court with unlawful assembly and obstruction in connection with the protest. All nine defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges against them.
#Wayne Munroe, National Security Minister, was contacted about the protest and how The Tribune staff was treated by police. He said the property had to be secured to the high-level event.
#“The area is being held as a sterile area because of the presence of the heads there inclusive of the Haitian President pro tem. Issues of security are exceptions to every constitutional guaranteed right other than the Article 18 right to protection against forced labour,” Mr Munroe said.
#“The RBPF and its law enforcement partners are discharging their security obligations with regard to the Caricom meeting. You can search and find that the response is standard ... empowering irresponsible behaviour is not productive.”
#When it was pointed out that the police took a reporter’s cell phone away, he said: “They should have returned your phone.”

Mr Bain documented the protest on social media, going live on Facebook before his arrest. He claimed he and about 20 others were paid guests of Baha Mar.

He said they would not be protesting on the hotel’s premises but that the “street is ours” which is where he suggested they would gather.

Mr Bain was seen speaking privately with police as the number of supporters grew to a small group assembled on the sidewalk on the hotel’s property.

Supporters started to become upset when they saw barricades being put outside.

Mr Bain moved the supporters away from the hotel’s entrance so he could explain what happened.

“Ladies and gentlemen, we just had an interesting experience dealing with the police just now. I mean they were just calling everyone in the world just now to just try to get some help because they said … that’s what Wayne Munroe said, we wasn’t going to be able to protest here.

“The police came and told me they want to talk with me but they wanted me to go to walk across street with them. I said I’m not going in no bush. They wanted me to go over there in the bush to talk ... Eventually decided that they will talk to me right here... He said ‘You all aren't allowed to be here’. He said ‘did you get a permit?’ I said ‘no law requires us to get a permit.’ I said, ‘which law requires us to get a permit?’”

Mr Bain said after some back and forth with the officer about the issue, he told the officer that it is “illegal to interfere with a lawful assembly” adding that he showed the officer he was “a paying guest and many of us are paying guests” at Baha Mar.

However, the situation escalated when Deputy Commissioner Leamond Deleveaux arrived on the scene telling the group they needed to leave “now”.

Eventually, a number of officers took Mr Bain into a car while supporters shouted at officers, asking what he was being arrested for. A few supporters were pushed into other cars. Some people were on the ground as police arrested them.

It was not known why they were arrested.

During the incident, an officer in plain clothes grabbed a Tribune female reporter’s iPhone as she filmed what was going on.

After minutes of explaining to the individual that the woman was a reporter, the phone was returned - however, the officer did not explain why the phone was taken.

The Tribune then went across the street as police handcuffed a Lincoln Bain supporter. A man was heard saying, “Make sure their phone and things off”.

A few officers surrounded The Tribune’s male photographer at one point, however he was let go once it was explained he was with this newspaper and doing his job.

This is not the first time Mr Bain has been in trouble with law enforcement.

In October 2022, he with several supporters were arrested outside the House of Assembly after scores of them were at Parliament Square demanding that the government tackle what they deemed an “immigration crisis”.

Mr Bain and eight others were later charged in Magistrate’s Court with unlawful assembly and obstruction in connection with the protest. All nine defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges against them.

Wayne Munroe, National Security Minister, was contacted about the protest and how The Tribune staff was treated by police. He said the property had to be secured to the high-level event.

“The area is being held as a sterile area because of the presence of the heads there inclusive of the Haitian President pro tem. Issues of security are exceptions to every constitutional guaranteed right other than the Article 18 right to protection against forced labour,” Mr Munroe said.

“The RBPF and its law enforcement partners are discharging their security obligations with regard to the Caricom meeting. You can search and find that the response is standard ... empowering irresponsible behaviour is not productive.”

When it was pointed out that the police took a reporter’s cell phone away, he said: “They should have returned your phone.”

Click here to read more at The Tribune

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