Bottles and words thrown, but hysteria marred ending of Christmas parade

ASP Alejandro Cowo

Love FM’s annual Christmas parade ended in mayhem on Saturday evening when the procession of lights and revelers rounded the corner into Albert Street in the Old Capital. That’s because there was a misunderstanding among onlookers which resulted in bottles being thrown. While that may have been the case, somehow word spread that shots were being fired into the crowd indiscriminately. That set off a stampede and the ensuing chaos sent everyone scrambling for safety bringing the parade to an abrupt end. According to Assistant Superintendent Alejandro Cowo, charges will be brought against the persons involved in the street fight.

ASP Alejandro Cowo, O.C., C.I.B., Belize City

“Reference the Love FM Parade.  As it was reported earlier, and we can confirm that during the parade there was no shots fired.  No where in the immediate [area] nor in the city at the time of the parade on that evening.  Yes there was a dispute among two male persons which resulted in one of them receiving an injury and he was taken to the Karl Heusner Memorial Hospital where he was treated and released on the following day for a minor stab wound to the right shoulder.  But there was no shots fired during the parade.”

Reporter

“Are the police aware of the wave of hysteria which out of this relatively small incident and it spread at least a half a mile if not more?”

ASP Alejandro Cowo

“Yes, we are aware.  I was working the parade.  I was at the rear guard when the information received that shots were fired.  We took precautionary measure and we contained the area, hence the reason.  But by the time it reached us, people were already saying that shots were being fired everywhere in the line of the parade that caused a chaos amongst the persons parading and the onlookers on the street.”

The organizers of the parade said on Saturday that the chaotic end to this year’s parade will not deter the parade from returning next year.