40 Persons Arrested in OW District for Restricted Social Events

In the Orange Walk District, which is registering the highest number of cases; forty persons were arrested over the weekend for hosting or participating in a restricted social event.  Officers descended on two locations—one on Gravel Lane in Orange Walk Town and the other in Guinea Grass Village.  A get-together for a sweet sixteen was held at Gravel Lane where police arrested seventeen persons.  In Guinea Grass, police arrested twenty-three persons for attending a baby shower. Both homeowners told News Five that it was all a big misunderstanding.

Lupita Malic

Lupita Malic, Homeowner

“The thing is that I was not at home, I was at home and when I was arriving back at home from work after nine-thirty. That is when I walked in. My daughter was completing her sixteenth birthday and she wanted just for her one or two friends to come by and take pictures or bring her gift for her and they were not going to stay long. The tent that was outside only had the Happy birthday and the balloons just to take pictures. There weren’t any chairs, tables outside for any party. And I was speaking to my daughter when I entered, telling them that how the person that were outside looked a little bit too much and they need to go. Same time, that is when the mobile reach and one of the officers said that there are no social distances and he got upset and he said that he will take us all to the station and he will make an example out of us of having a gathering party. I was explaining to him that I had just arrived from work, speaking to my daughter telling them that the crowd that was outside they need to leave but he did not want to  understand us.”

Voice of: Marta Lopez, Homeowner [Translated]

“Yes I had a baby shower. Since they said that we could have a lot of people I just invited ten, eleven persons. The most I had here. All of s sudden my nephews and the guys appeared to come get their girlfriends. Things got a little complicated when they came closer. I said to myself that the baby shower will not take long so we decided to quickly play the games and then, when I saw that it was ten o’clock. I said, done. Now to give them their food and as they people were leaving and getting their food, the police officers showed up. They barged in to my home. They did not show me any paper. They just told me that they got a report that we were doing a lot of noise with music. Music? We didn’t have any music because a baby shower doesn’t include music. They began to search my entire house.  With this one I think I already learned a lesson that we cannot do a party. I already learned that lesson.”