What was supposed to be a peaceful protest outside BTL headquarters on St Thomas Street today turned explosive after UDP protestors busted through the police line and stormed onto the compound.
While there were no bullets – real or rubber – there was tear gas as the police formed a human barricade at BTL’s door, while workers watched with concern from the windows.
Courtney Menzies was on the ground this morning and has a look at the most chaotic part of the morning. Here is that story.
Brian “Yellowman” Audinett, Protestor
“Tell party leader get ready. Yeah, let’s go.”
This was the moment that Brian Audinett, otherwise known as Yellowman, broke through the line of police trying to block access to BTL offices. After that, all hell broke loose as the supporters joined him in “storming” – if not the building, at least the parking lot – as they were pushed and pulled and hauled by scrambling police officers.
The crowd managed to rush the front doors, but were blocked by the officers from going further. In the midst of the chaos, the police released tear gas, and Audinett needed to step back to wash his face.
But 30 minutes before, he warned the police and those inside the compound that that was the UDP’s plan.
Brian “Yellowman” Audinett, Protestor
“I can assure you that 10:00 everybody out here will be entering the compound.”
Courtney Menzies:
“To do what?”
Brian “Yellowman” Audinett, Protestor
“We are heading to the board meeting.”
But they never made it to the boardroom – and in fact they didn’t even enter the building. And while some supported Audinett, others, like Lee Mark Chang, tried to keep the peace.
However, after about 30 minutes, the Party Leader called off her protestors.
Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition
“We did what we came here to do. We need to get ready for round two.”
They then left the compound en masse with no major injuries – and with the bonus of a message sent emphatically:
Reporter:
“Why do you all have to take it this far? What did you see the need to take it this far?”
Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition
“Why do we have to take it this far? You have the audacity to ask that question? You have the audacity as a member of the independent media to ask why we have to take it this far? You haven’t seen anything yet.”
Reporter:
“What happens if charges are pressed against any of your supporters this morning?”
Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition
“We got their backs.”
And Chang does too, since he explained why he tried to play mediator.
Lee Mark Chang, Area Rep., Mesop
“I do not believe in violence first and foremost. We’re here to demonstrate and we must keep the peace. We have a right to demonstrate but we do not have a right to destroy or storm the building so I had to make sure that our guys relaxed and did not cross that line.”
Reporter:
“What were you telling them?”
Lee Mark Chang, Area Rep., Mesop
“Do not make your right a wrong.”
Courtney Menzies:
“Isn’t it already a wrong from the time you breached the compound?”
Lee Mark Chang, Area Rep., Mesop
“Yes, but at least it wasn’t further escalated. And when I saw that, I quickly went and I tried to defuse the situation.”
And for the most part it was only the UDP protestors that tried to storm the building, since the unionists politely waited it out on the street.
Ella Waight, President, NTUCB
“We have our workers in there, we have our brothers and sisters in there and we don’t want to scare them, it’s not that time yet.”
Dean Flowers, President, PSU
“I did not come out here to create havoc for my fellow unionists in the Belize Christian Workers Union and in their workplace. I came out here to say Chairman Lizarraga needs to go, I came out here to make a plea to Mr Ashcroft to leave Belize alone, just go in peace, and I came out here to ask the Briceno’s to stop exploiting this country and stop saddling Belizeans with debt for your own self enrichment.”
But while some chose to wait it out, the escalation may have caused – at the very least – an interruption in the board meeting.
Ella Waight, NTUCB President
“The president from the Belize Communications Workers Union just communicated with us that he entered the board room where the meeting was happening and told them to please end the meeting because our brothers and sisters in there are very concerned about what happened just now. They are a bit afraid and to ensure their safety they asked the board to please end the meeting now.”
But as the Leader of the Opposition put it, this is just the beginning.
Tracy Panton, Leader of the Opposition
“This is but phase one. We have phase two and phase three and phase four and as many phases as is necessary until they get the message.”
And this afternoon, BTL issued a huffy press release condemning the protestors, quote, “unlawful trespass” on their compound.
The release says while they respect the right to peaceful protest, the trespassers created an unsafe environment for the employees and customers. The release adds that while the trespassers sought to disrupt the board meeting, the meetings, quote “will continue as scheduled” since, quote, “yielding to intimidation would constitute a breach of their duties.”
We note that BTL did not respond to any of the three very meaty press releases sent out yesterday by the NTUCB, the Chamber of Commerce or the Independent Senators, but did manage a 375 word release on today’s event.
