COMMUNITY ACTIVIST BRIEFLY DETAINED BY POLICE
June 02, 2011
Following her participation in the demonstration yesterday on the Belcan Bridge today Yolanda Shackron received news that she would be arrested and charged for accosting a police officer. However, before she was detained Schakron headed to the Queen Street Police Station. While Schakron was unable to speak with the media upon her arrival, her colleague Joan Sutherland told us what apparently led to the situation this morning.
Joan Sutherland - Activist
"What happened yesterday when they told us to get off the bridge or else we were going to be removed by force, the police came and started pushing us and one of them had pushed Ms. Schakron on her breast and she just pushed his hand away and they are charging her for assault. One of them hit me, this is the mark they left on me, there was a lot of abuse going on for instance the little girl that the police pulled down and she got in her head, she went to the doctor, the doctor sent her here for a form from the police department to fill out to do a complaint and they refused to give her the form, so why charge Ms. Schakron for common assault?
Dalila Ical - Reporter
Do you think she is being singled out?
Joan Sutherland - Activist
"Yes she is, definite, she is. We are the only organization along with COLA that stand up for any injustice that is happening in Belize."
After she was processed at the police station, Schakron was not charged. Her attorney, Anthony Sylvestre spoke with Love News.
Anthony Sylvester - Attorney at law
"The officers they have decided after having indicated that she come to the police station, and starting the whole process of finger printing and processing which includes finger printing and doing mug shot, they have decided that they will not be pressing any charges at this stage but if they decide at a later date then they will call her and they will detain her again which is ridiculous. It sounds rather funny but it is something very serious, it is a level of indignity, there is a level of humiliation, of ridicule as ascribed to someone being charged for an offence, with someone being detained at a police station and being processed."
LOVEFM