Police ranks hospitalized, protester killed in election results clash

Protestors blocked the main carriageway at Bath Public ROad and burn debris on Friday 

It was chaos and total breakdown of law and order when protestors along the West Coast Berbice began attacking police officers and passers-by. The end result was a protestor being shot dead and several police ranks being injured and hospitalized.

Police in riot gears walk past protestors of the Opposition PPP who are claiming victory in the elections

In videos that circulated on social media, police ranks could be seen running for their lives Peoples Progressive Party Protestor charge behind them with woods, cutlasses, bricks and other objects.

Last evening the Guyana Police Force issued a statement where it confirmed the injuries and death as a result of the protests which stemmed from the non-acceptance of the results released by the Guyana Elections Commission which has given the A Partnership for National Unity a victory from the just concluded National and Regional Elections. Before the lawmen were attacked, they had moments before cleared the main carriageway of debris along the Cotton Tree Public Road.

The police force in their statement on Saturday Morning explained that the police ranks after the angry protestors advanced towards them were forced to discharge their weapons into the air to have the crowd disburse but as they rank out of ammunition, the crowd charged towards them forcing them to seek cover.

Police Commander Stephens and Former Minister Broomes visit a police rank at the New Amsterdam Hospital

 “The ranks including Sergeant Ibaran, Corporal Williams, Constable Grant, and Constable Fraser were forced to seek refuge in nearby yards and during that process, it was alleged that one of the protesters who was later identified as  Seedat’ Devon’ Hansraj, 18 years, unemployed of Back Street Cotton Tree Village, WCB,  chopped Sgt Ibaran and Constable Fraser and as he was attempting to deal the latter another chop, was shot once by one of two ranks who arrived at the scene and witnessed their colleagues being attacked and wounded” The police noted in their statement.

The dead injured protestor and ranks were then escorted to the New Amsterdam Public Hospital where the protestor was pronounced dead on arrival and the ranks treated and admitted in stable conditions.

The protestors had earlier attacked a School bus with children, damaging the bus in the process and leaving teachers and students traumatized.

An injured student from the school bus which came under attack is consoled by Broomes

On Saturday, former Minister of Youth Affairs within the Ministry of the Presidency, Simona Broomes traveled to Berbice were in the company of the Police Commanders of Regions 5 and 6, visited the children and the police ranks who were victims of the attack.

Riot police in a standoff with protesters on Friday in Berbice

Today the Guyana Elections Commission is to appear in Court where a ruling is expected to be made on the way forward as it relates to the counting and tabulation of the votes for Region 4 which has resulted in the state of unrest being experienced across the country.

Incumbent Presiden Granger and the Guyana Elections Commission have been receiving mounting pressure from local and international bodies not to be sworn and for the tabulation process to verify the process respectively to be the order of the day.