Advisories: Black Lives Matter March On Sunday
The police have advised there will be traffic disruptions during the Black Lives Matter march on Sunday [June 7] and the Government’s official notice states that there is an exemption from the prohibition on groups of more than ten persons assembling due to exceptional circumstance.
The official notice also states that “all persons attending the march must wear a face mask and maintain appropriate physical distancing as much as practicable.”
Police statement:
A police spokesperson said, “In support of the peaceful protest scheduled to take place in the City of Hamilton on Sunday June 7th 2020, the Bermuda Police Service Parish Officers and Road Policing Unit will assist the safety aspect of this event as well as the monitoring of traffic.
“The event organizers have obtained a permit from Deputy Governor’s Office.
“It is anticipated that up to 1,000 persons will gather at #1 Car Park on Front Street between 12:00 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. with the march moving off from the Birdcage on Front Street at 12:45 p.m.
“Marchers will proceed from the Birdcage onto Queen Street and east onto Church Street. They will continue east on Church Street to Court Street, then south on Church Street to Front Street.
“The marchers will then proceed in a westerly direction back along Front Street ending at the Birdcage. Organizers anticipate the duration of the march to be 3 hours.”
Chief Inspector Jerome Laws, the officer in charge [OIC] for policing of this event stated, “The organizers have stated this will be a peaceful protest and that antisocial behaviour, violence, or damage will not be tolerated by protestors and if necessary they will ask the police to intervene.
“We are working with our partners in the City of Hamilton to make this a safe event for all, including the protestors, onlookers and members of the public who are going about their daily routine.
“We advise members of the public who will be attending the area of the protest, that there will be traffic disruptions during the march and road users are to consider alternative routes whilst traveling in the City.”
Official Notice
Today’s official notices stated, “Whereas the Minister of National Security considers that the proposed Black Lives Matter March on Sunday 7 June 2020 is an exceptional circumstance justifying an exemption from the prohibition in regulation 4[1] of the Emergency Powers [Covid-19 Continuing Precautions] Regulations 2020 on groups of more than ten persons assembling;
“Now therefore, the Minister grants an exemption under regulation 4[5] of those Regulations permitting a group of more than ten persons to assemble on Sunday 7 June 2020 from 12pm to 3:45pm at Front Street, City of Hamilton and to march along the following route:
“Start: Number 1 Car Park, north on Queen Street, right onto Church Street to Court Street, right onto Front Street, finishing at the Number 1 Car Park.
“Conditions as follows:
- All persons attending the march must wear a face mask and maintain appropriate physical distancing as much as practicable.
- Marchers will be escorted by the Bermuda Police Service.
- Police instructions to be observed and adhered to.
- Wayne M. Caines, JP MP. Minister of National Security
Poster for this Sunday’s march:
They are not gonna abide with any regulations. So why in the h-e-double hockey sticks did you allow it. I hope this doesn’t set us back with covid-19.
I plan on coming with rain jacket and umbrella. Looks like rain in the forecast but that won’t stop us.
Best of luck.
Please folks; no violence.
Set an example for the world.
An exception to the COVID-19 law? This is a huge mistake but with a government they just care about the politricks and not our Nations safety and us getting back to normal. You watch – one week after this March will cause a major spike in infections! Dumb move PLP!
Yeah, let’s put everyone at risk because of a march that no-one outside of Bermuda will ever know is happening.
Whilst what happened was deplorable, no amount of “protest marches” in Bermuda will make a blind bit of difference. On the other hand, having a mass gathering could kill many, many people.
That is why I will not be attending.
I expect I will now be called a racist.
On Racial Bias in Police Shootings. https://wp.me/p8BPoN-rE
Systemic Racism
Why do we not want a knee on George Floyd’s neck? Not only because it’s wrong, but because we don’t want one on ours. If we want our rights respected, we must respect – and protect – the rights of others. Unfortunately, in too many cases when people say they want an open and honest discussion about race in America, what they mean is they want an open and honest discussion only about what they say is wrong with people who aren’t them. When people talk about the need to deal with systemic racism, if they’re not willing to talk about the systems run – often for generations by the political party or politicians they support – they aren’t interested in an open and honest conversation; instead, they want only to use the issue as a club against people who aren’t them. If that’s the case, we’re condemned to never get off this tragedy of a merry-go-round. GEORGE KORDA | KNOXVILLE NEWS SENTINEL | 7:19 pm EDT June 4, 2020
Protesters are immune from Covid-19. SMH!