Police detain, then apologise to, peaceful protesters at national vigil for MV Barima victims

What this source establishes

Kaieteur News reports that police arrested and briefly detained three activists, Sherlina Nageer, Salima Bacchus-Hinds and Romola Lucas, during the government-organised national prayer service at Kingston Seawall on 22 July. Five women had stood at the periphery of the Bandstand with signs demanding accountability for what they called a completely preventable tragedy; police cited unlawful protest, absence of a permit and illegal signs. All three were released on their own recognisance after about an hour, and the activists say charges were dropped and an apology offered at a Thursday meeting with the Police Commander. They describe the episode as State overreach under Article 147 and demand Edghill's resignation.

Key claims

• The Guyana Police Force is facing mounting criticism after officers arrested and briefly detained three female civil society activists during a government-organised national prayer service at the Kingston Seawall on Wednesday evening.
• Sherlina Nageer, Salima Bacchus-Hinds, and Romola Lucas were taken into custody on July 22 after staging a quiet demonstration calling for the resignation and prosecution of Minister of Public Works Juan Edghill.
• The vigil had been organised to honour the victims of the MV Barima, the Georgetown-to-Port Kaituma ferry that capsised and sank on Saturday, July 18.
• A group of five women stood on the periphery of the Bandstand holding signs demanding political accountability for what they described as a 'completely preventable' maritime tragedy.
• Tensions rose roughly an hour into the event when the group relocated near the 'One Guyana' sign along the seawall and officers instructed them to clear the area.
• The activists allege that officers forcibly dragged Nageer before taking her into custody; Bacchus-Hinds and Lucas were arrested shortly after at the Brickdam Police Station, currently operating out of the Eve Leary compound.
• Police initially justified the arrests by citing 'unlawful protest,' the absence of a permit, and possession of 'illegal signs.'
• All three women were released on their own recognisance after roughly an hour in custody.
• The activists said police subsequently dropped all charges and offered an apology during a follow-up meeting with the Police Commander on Thursday morning.
• The women invoked Article 147 of the Constitution of Guyana, which guarantees freedom of assembly and peaceful demonstration.
• They confirmed filing a formal complaint with the Police Force's Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR) over officer conduct.
• The activists are pressing for an independent, transparent investigation into the disaster, a comprehensive overhaul of hinterland and coastal public transport infrastructure, and the immediate resignation of Minister Edghill.
• As of Thursday, neither government officials nor police representatives had issued a formal public statement addressing the officers' conduct at the seawall.

Quotations

• “The verbal harassment, physical abuse, and arbitrary detention of three peaceful protestors amounts to State overreach”— media statement of the demonstrators (Sherlina Nageer, Salima Bacchus-Hinds and Romola Lucas), civil society activists

Actors named

• Guyana Police Force (GPF), arresting authority facing criticism
• Sherlina Nageer, civil society activist arrested at the vigil
• Salima Bacchus-Hinds, civil society activist arrested at the vigil
• Romola Lucas, civil society activist arrested at the vigil
• Juan Edghill, Minister of Public Works, target of the resignation and prosecution demands
• Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR), Guyana Police Force unit receiving the formal complaint
• Unnamed Police Commander who met the activists and apologised on Thursday morning

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