LIKE they did on March 1, 1996, in their call for the decriminalisation of marijuana, scores of Rastafarians on Holy Thursday March 28 created a moving sea of red, green and gold through the streets of the Corporate Area.

This time it was in commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the attack by the state against members of their faith at Coral Gardens in Montego Bay, St James.

What Rastafarians called “Bad Friday” stemmed from an incident which triggered widespread beating, humiliation, degradation and imprisonment on Good Friday of 1963. This was the response by the security forces after persons wearing beards typical of Rastafarians, attacked a service station with which they had an issue. Two of the attackers were shot and killed by the police.

“Murder was the political mission,” read one of the placards highlighting the Coral Gardens incident, which was seen by Rastafarians as an orchestrated attempt to get rid of the movement. The march and motorcade, organised by the Rastafari Community in partnership with Irie FM Radio, began shortly after noon in front of the Ward Theatre, downtown Kingston, after brief opening remarks by Mutabaruka who reminded the large gathering that atrocities of the state against the citizens were not limited to Rastafarians.

“Ah from Coral Gardens to Tivoli Gardens,” declared the outspoken poet/broadcaster.

Led by an Irie FM ‘Shockwave’ outside broadcast unit, the procession attracted numerous curious onlookers from all walks of life, along the way. It first circled St William Grant Park then proceeded up Duke Street in the direction of Gordon House, home of the parliament.

In a sudden change of plans, the flag-waving, placard-bearing marchers, did not stop at Gordon House to carry out a 30-minute silent protest as previously scheduled. Instead, they marched 100 metres up Duke Street and stopped in front of the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) head offices, near to the King Solomon’s Temple and beside the Moravian Church of the Redeemer, for this protest,said to be a first for the Rastafari community.

Rasta elders explained why the location was chosen for the protest. Late Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie I, who is at the centre of the Rastafari faith, traces his dynasty to King Solomon and beyond, and the following quote in relation to what Rastafarians dubbed the “Coral Gardens Masscare”, is often attributed to Bustamante: “If jail cannot hold the Rastafarians, put them in Bogue Hill Cemetery.”

After the silent protest, the next stop was the National Heroes Circle, where the motorcade gained momentum and continued into the Nelson Mandela Park in Half-Way-Tree where the day’s event came to a climax with a rally and outside broadcast of Mutabaruka’s Thursday’s afternoon Irie FM show called The Stepping Razor. The show on this occasion was co-hosted by his colleague of the same station, Andrea Williams. Their guests included Carol Narcisse, and attorneys-at-law Michael Lorne and

Bert Samuels.

“Fifty years ago we couldn’t a talk ’bout Rastafari open dem way yah. Police woulda pack we up, throw us inna jeep, trim we. Today we have dem a lead us inna motorcade,” mused Empress Esther, one of the many speakers at the Rally.

Unlike previous years, this year the anniversary was a three-day event. On Good Friday a banquet was held at the Pitfour Nyahbinghi Centre in St James, and on Saturday night a concert at Jarrett Park featured Queen Ifrika, Jah 9, Chronixx, Tony Rebel, Warrior King, Bushman, and Chezidek, among others.