Plues Street residents allegedly brutalized by police
On Tuesday, we reported the alleged excessive abuse by the Gang Suppression Unit in Crooked Tree Village. An investigation is currently underway to determine why the GSU rained down on at least twenty residents, using pepper spray and tasers. And tonight, there is another report of alleged brutality by law-enforcement officers, this time in Belize City. Around four-fifteen this afternoon, several men were arrested and taken to the station after they were allegedly brutalized and tasered by officers at a house on Plues Street. News Five’s Duane Moody headed to the scene and has this report.
Duane Moody, Reporting
A large crowd gathered near the residence of Carol Vivas on Plues Street in the vicinity of George Street, a gang infested neighborhood. The area was cordoned off and at least four police vehicles filled with officers took several men inside the house. They were allegedly brutalized and tasered.
Voice of: Eyewitness
“The police dehn come from around the lane and chase some young man. Dehn bring two young man ina my neighbor house and for no reason. The police man told her to come out of the house and they start ransacked the place saying that they are looking for weapons and some man weh commit some crime.”
Duane Moody
“So they chased several young men up into the house, started to beat them and ransacked the place?”
Voice of: Eyewitness
“Yes sir, meanwhile dehn the beat dehn, the whole neighborhood and even the news people dehn mi could hear that the young man di bawl as well as the police man di taser them; everybody di bawl and they di ask the police man dehn fi please stop because dehn noh know weh the police man di talk about.”
Five men were placed in the pan of a pickup and taken to the Queen Street Police Station, where two of their relatives spoke to News Five. Jeffrey McDougal, just came off from work and was walking with his girlfriend and son when he was grabbed by the officers and was tasered.
Tricia McDougal
Tricia McDougal, Sister of Alleged Brutality Victim
“Jeffrey mi deh by the bike shop and the police just haul he in and ker he upstairs of the house weh he noh live. Ih mi have the baby same time and ih ask somebody fi bring the baby to ih gial. And they ker ahn up deh and they beat ahn and we noh know weh dehn beat ahn for. And he noh have no record—from work to home—he just come off from work and ih mi deh with ih gial and pickney.”
Aldrina Martinez, Mother of Alleged Brutality Victim
“I see dehn hold up my son, Inmar Welch and I asked them what dah the reason why they have ahn. And they said they need to take him in for questioning for forty-eight hours. And I ask, why because he just left from home. And I beg them because my son just get surgery. I am not saying that my son innocent, but he just left from home so why they have to handcuff ahn and beat ahn and after I done beg dehn noh beat up the bwai; taser him and all that—taser ahn.”
Martinez says that while waiting at the police station, her daughter, Kelly Miranda, was detained.
Aldrina Martinez
Aldrina Martinez
“We mi deh in deh di wait pan dehn and then they said mom, unu have to step out because this will be a while. So we sat down. And then they detained my daughter because my daughter used obscene language. But then they curse people too so what they expect. If they want respect they have to give respect.”
Miranda’s family says that they are in touch with the US Embassy because Kelly, is still in custody, is a US citizen. Duane Moody for News Five.
1. Let’s wait until the smoke clears to see what really happened. It’s easy to grab a microphone and make wild allegations which may or may not be true. But there is another side to the story, which I would like to hear.
2. GSU has a tough job, dealing with the worst of the worst, murderous gangsters who walk our streets, usually with weapons very close by. I think most of us appreciate the job they are assigned to do, and support them fully when they do it. At the same time, policemen need to understand that if they step outside the bounds of proper law enforcement and abuse innocent, average citizens — the people they should be protecting from the criminal element — they will lose the general support of the citizens. That will make their job impossible. [I’m not saying that actually happened here or elsewhere, just warning about a reality of human reactions.]
3. If one of these young men actually has no criminal record or involvement, he needs to look around him, and determine whether he is in an area and running with people where he WILL end up on the wrong side of the law. That is a life-changing mistake to make.
I blame the PUP for this one, and the people. Yes ppl i have changed my tune i now realize the error of my ways no longer will i blame the PM.
Instead of showing appreciation to the Gang Suppression Unit for trying to rid those infested neighborhoods of their rats, the resident’s preferred to scream brutality to the media.
The main reason why those neighborhoods are so terrible is because residents like Tricia McDougal and Aldrina Martinez condone the drugs, and gang activities occurring there, they are a part of the problem not the solution.
Next time don’t use pepper spray, use a tractor and tear down that entire are.
Turn that area into a decent park for the kids.
Enough is enough. Everytime the police acts, we scream brutality. That is cacapoopoo. Come on, get real folks. You do not future saints living in the Plues/George streets area. You know it and I know it.
If we are going to turn Belize streets around and make them safe, then we have to deal with the problems……… gangs, drugs and crime.
Support all law enforcement. Beat these hoodlums, cripple them and kill them if you have to. Thousands of Belizeans support Belize law enforcemnt, including Belizeans tht are too chicken$#!% to say so.
Dean barrow need to put the GSU in check they can’t keep beating up the guys them like that they have parents they have no rights to chance people kids .GSU makes me sick.
The media need to stop reporting and giving air time to these dumb allegations. It is obvious that these kinds of neighbourhoods protect criminals and they act like the rest of us so nieve. Well, what they need is the police to rain down on them. If you have criminals in your home then you look for it.
You think any normal person will allow a criminal to just hide in their home??? HUH, and noh give them up to police or call police or show the police where the man deh???? Dah fool di talk, but dah noh fool di listen.
Mek the police neva do nothing, deh piple wouldah di bark like dogs that the police noh do nothing. Uno behave uno self, put some more GSU dah the city and send some dah other districts too, like dah Orange walk and Corozal where things seems to be getting out of hand. GSU dah the new Police Department…..
@Young Gial: You have spoken wisely.
The GSU don’t need to beat them like that.
Yeah,okay on to the next block. Let’s see what block is next, this is great news yeah.
tear down everything , build a commercial centre with enuff parking, change downtown forever.
well said, Storm
Don’t get me wrong,love the GSU, but they need to know their target, GANGS. Right now, belize city is like a ghost town because of the senseless killing. And deh se, we da 93% education wise
Beat dem @$$#$! First thing said is they chase dem. why run? These people deal drugs and weapons and rape a steal an live by intimidation. I no have no pity for dem. Me only happy to hear the police have tasers now. Tase dem fools. Dem people live they life like that. They keep the kids like that. In drug houses with violence. Now I supposed to feel sorry? Cry all they want I no care police harass dem. Rod I expect to see your typical comments next week. But is nice not to see the “Useless, impotent prime minister resign” comment.