KINGSTON, Jamaica — Lawyers and court workers participating in the Trafigura hearing Friday morning observed two minutes silence in solidarity with nationwide protests against violence towards women and children.

Journalists covering the hearing in the Supreme Court and law students also participated in the solemn occasion at 10:00am just before the sitting judges of the Constitutional Court arrived.

The occasion was prompted by Senior Deputy Director of Public Prosecutions Caroline Hay and is in solidarity with calls by the Government, Opposition and civil society.

The calls follow this week’s brutal rape of five females from one family in Montego Bay, St James, the youngest being eight-years-old.

That incident, along with the mob killing of a man in Trelawny, has generated national outrage. 

A group had gone in search of the man’s stepson, whom they believed was involved in the murder of two boys in the community of Zion.

A two-minute silence was also observed in the Criminal Registry of the Home Circuit Court.