Protest reaches city

Social Activist Mark Benschop in a face-off with the police

Outraged relatives and friends of slain schoolboy Kelvin Fraser yesterday intensified their actions, as the group staged another protest outside the Ministry of Home Affairs and the Brickdam Police Station, demanding that justice be served.
“We need justice for Kelvin……the officer must be charged, he was murdered” shouted Amelia Puran, an aunt of Fraser. The woman opined that if the lad was indeed behaving badly, as the police claimed he was, they should have called his parents.

Students and supporters gather at the Wales Police Station to protest the killing of a 16-year-old student of Patentia Secondary School.

Thursday, June 10, 2010

Another aunt of the slain teen Yvonne Lilman shouted, “it was murder….my nephew was not a thief, he was not mischievous….he was peaceful schoolboy and they killed him.”
Also at the protest yesterday were Social Activist Mark Benschop, columnist Freddie Kissoon and member of the Working People’s Alliance, Dr David Hinds. Kissoon yesterday called for the resignation of Police Commissioner Henry Greene and Minister of Home Affairs Clement Rohee, because of escalating crime in society. The columnist said that the police should not have gone to the school with guns, since they were dealing with children.
“When are the police going to act with professionalism….?” Kissoon asked.
Minister of Education Shaik Baksh also strongly condemned the shooting, saying that he found it “very strange”.
The Minister met with Fraser’s relatives and promised that a full investigation would be conducted. Baksh said that he could not comment further since he had not seen the report. He however said that he would make contact with the Minister of Home Affairs to get the matter expedited.
Meanwhile, as the protest intensified social activist Mark Benschop along with a driver of a Canter truck were taken into custody. According to police sources, Benschop was detained after he allegedly assaulted a peace officer and obstructed the flow of traffic.
Opposition Leader Robert Corbin who was attending a session of the Parliament at the time learnt about the situation and immediately left the National Assembly for the Brickdam Police Station, where he met with senior officers, with a view to sorting out the problems.
Eventually he managed to secure the release of Benschop - on $100,000 station bail.
Benschop is scheduled to appear in court today to answer charges including obstructing a peace officer and resisting arrest.
The police claimed that Benschop led a group of protestors to the front of the Brickdam Police Station and attempted to obstruct ranks from impounding the Canter truck which brought them.
The Opposition Leader in a comment after Benschop’s release said that the police had incited the situation.
“It is shocking that at a time when we were discussing the Disciplined Services Report (in Parliament) that we have such a shocking incident of the police inciting a crowd to behave in the way they did, having breached all the rules of police protocol. It’s a disgrace on this particular day,” Corbin declared.
The remainder of the crowd, which had gathered outside the Brickdam Police Station, waited patiently for hours until Benschop was released late yesterday afternoon.
Kaieteur News understands that the truck driver who was also arrested for overloading has also been released on station bail.
Kelvin Fraser was killed on Monday in what police said was a scuffle with a rank who was attempting to arrest him. However the teen’s friends who were present all dispute this, saying that the teen was shot in his back.
A post mortem is expected to be conducted today.
A number of senior police officials revisited the teen’s home with the promise of a full investigation. Police had said that Fraser was fatally shot while ranks were responding to a report of a group of men “molesting” female students at the Patentia Secondary School. The police responded and upon arrival, six youths were pointed out as the perpetrators.
On seeing the police, four of the youths ran away while two were arrested. The ranks pursued the four youths and caught up with Kelvin Fraser at Third Street, Patentia Housing Scheme, where he was shot. Fraser was pronounced dead on arrival at the West Demerara Regional Hospital.

Friday, June 11, 2010