No One Threatened the Police – Amar

THE eleven people who were arrested in a fallout with police officers on Sunday at the Queen’s Park Savannah (QPS) have been released.

They were being detained at the St Clair Police Station.

At least one person was charged – leader of the First Wave Movement Umar Abdullah.

Leader of the Push Back Movement Robert Amar told AZPNews.com on Monday that there was no protest at the Savannah and that citizens simply wanted to pray and have a walk to maintain good health while also expressing their grievances about the Government’s management of the Covid-19 pandemic.

The main issue, Amar said, was the implementation of the safe zone policy with reference to Government spaces.

He asked that if such policy was going to be implemented then what will happen to public transport and other Government operated spaces.

Members of the First Wave Movement continue to meet with public sector workers at their workplaces to discuss their concerns.

Amar said now that churches have a certain number of people allowed, there were some who just wanted a space to pray.

And the walk was to encourage persons to be healthy.

He said, “We are hearing all this talk about persons with comorbidities dying from Covid-19, and that they are at greater risk and one of the comorbidities is obesity but what are they really doing about it? We are actively engaging our people to be healthy by encouraging walking around the Savannah and encouraging healthy lifestyles. We are trying to get people to be more health-conscious.”

Amar said, “People if they come out peacefully to express themselves by prayer or walking, the police have  no right to interfere with them.”

He also said the QPS was given as a gift to the nation and not just to politicians.

Amar also said that if there was an issue of overcrowding, then the police should check the food outlets at the Savannah that often draws a crowd.

The initial location was supposed to be Maracas beach but it was decided upon that the QPS would be a more central location to hold their event which Amar said he did not think police consent was needed for.

He said that although there were at least 500 people gathered, everybody was wearing their masks and socially distanced enough.

“There was nobody who was threatening the police,” he said.

Amar said it was instead the police who breached the law when they fired their canisters of tear gas without any consideration for human life.

However, the Push Back Movement will continue to move around the Savannah and other areas, praying, exercising and expressing their concerns on national issues, Amar said.

And he also expressed concern over the five-member team appointed by Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley to investigate Covid-19 deaths at the hospital. While he was pleased that there will be a review , he said those members never stood up publicly for any change or positive difference during the pandemic.