Spanish Town residents engage soldiers yesterday during a demonstration. (Photo: Michael Gordon)

RESIDENTS of the tough Spanish Town community of Tawes Pen yesterday locked down sections of the old capital to protest against the detention of their area 'don', Andrew Hope, better known as "Bun man", the reputed leader of the One Order Gang, one of the two gangs said to be at the centre of the deadly intermittent violence plaguing that town.

The residents used debris to block sections of Old Harbour Road and Wellington Street, interrupting vehicular traffic along the busy thoroughfare and causing frustration among members of the security forces who had to clear the blockades on several occasions.

".We kept clearing the roadblocks and they kept putting them back," said an obviously frustrated Inspector Raymond Robinson of the Mobile Reserve. "And worse, they kept throwing stones at passing motorists," the police inspector told the Observer.

The incident forced several businesses on nearby Cumberland Road and Wellington Street to close early.
The situation was, however, quelled following Hope's release, nearly one hour after his detention.

According to Inspector Robinson, Hope was held for questioning. "We acted on information we received," he told the Observer yesterday.

Residents of Tawes Pen, home to some members of the One Order gang, claimed that they were justified in blocking the roads as the police wrongfully detained their "father" and abused them in the process.

"Him (Bun Man) a di father fi di whole a wi, a him sen wi pickney dem go a school so wi caan do without him roun' ya," shouted one female resident.

"Anyhow dem (police) try tek him weh again wi ago lock down di whole place or jus' mash it dung," another woman blurted.

Some of the residents claimed that they were boxed, kicked and verbally abused by members of the security forces.

But Inspector Robinson denied the claims. "Anytime you have situations of this nature there are always claims of abuse," he told the Observer. "I have been here all morning and I have not witnessed any such incident."

The One Order gang, which is aligned to the Opposition Jamaica Labour Party, has been involved in bloody conflicts with members of the Klansman gang, which backs the ruling People's National Party.

Just last week, Tawes Pen along with neighbouring Ellerslie Pen and March Pen Road was placed under a four-day curfew which began Wednesday and ended on Sunday.

About 600 cops from divisions islandwide, and 200 Jamaica Defence Force soldiers were deployed in the three communities. The curfew drew the ire of representatives of the Jamaica Labour Party who charged that the move was politically motivated.

During the lock-down, the lawmen detained 149 persons, all of whom, except for two persons who were charged with possession of and dealing in ganja, have since been released. Fifteen rounds of ammunition were also recovered during the searches.

Yesterday, a throng of police and soldiers maintained their presence in the area in a bid to avert any repeat of the chaos that reigned earlier in the day.

But their continued presence in the communities angered the residents who made a concerted call for their withdrawal.
"Ninety-six hours gone long time and dem still deh yah, a time fi dem leave now. wi now waan dem round yah," said a woman from Tawes Pen.

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