Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
    • Business Bites
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • Videos
  • Career & Education
  • Classifieds
  • All Woman
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Design Week
Ticket holders engage cops in cat-and-mouse game to get inside packed stadium
The National Stadium is filled to capacity on Saturday evening, the final day of theISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Atheletics Championships. (PHOTO: ANTONIO GRAHAM)
News
BY TANESHA MUNDLE Observer staff reporter mundlet@jamaicaobserver.com  
March 28, 2015

Ticket holders engage cops in cat-and-mouse game to get inside packed stadium

PANDEMONIUM reigned outside the National Stadium in Kingston on Saturday as frustrated ticket holders stormed the entrances and jumped fences in a cat-and-mouse game with cops and security personnel in a desperate attempt to gain entry on the final day of the annual ISSA/GraceKennedy Boys’ and Girls’ Athletics Championships.

The fans — who held Grandstand and Bleachers tickets as well as season band passes — expressed anger and disappointment triggered by news that the stadium was filled to capacity and could accommodate no more patrons.

According to the patrons, the gates had been closed from around 4:00 pm. But this did not deter the large gathering of ticket holders who were hell-bent on entering.

“This is madness,” said one man. “I can’t stay out here. I paid $3,500 for my ticket.”

For a while, police and security guards had some success repelling attempts by patrons to scale the fence to get in.

A cop at one of the gates tried calming the angry patrons.

But as a gate was opened to allow a car to enter next to a main entrance, a group of patrons broke through and ran inside before the officers could secure the gate.

Others managed to get inside, gaining access through restrooms. The police caught on and that access was quickly blocked. Undeterred, some resorted to jumping through holes in the fences. The police quickly descended on them.

“I have a season band with an assigned seat, my seat is inside there. Why can’t I get in?” one woman asked a policeman as she pressed against a fence.

The policeman told her that the security personnel holding gate had let in people with season bands.

“How did I get myself into this mess?” she pondered aloud.

A schoolgirl who was decked out in purple and white attire broke down in tears.

“I am here from 4:30 with my ticket. This is not fair,” she cried.

Adamant that they would get inside the stadium, patrons formed a long line and marched to the gate in front of the National Arena.

After nightfall, some patrons who had Grandstand tickets were allowed inside.

“What about we weh have Bleachers ticket?” one women asked. She was told by a policeman that they would be “dealt with later”.

However, those with Bleachers tickets never got the chance to enter the stadium. On realising that they would get no closer to the action inside, they stormed the gate leading to the Bleachers. Several of them were able to get inside.

Some young men quickly raced up the mound to the wall and scaled it. One of them jumped over the wall and appeared to have landed successfully inside the stadium. However, he quickly returned over the wall to the outside.

A policeman mounted on a horse, and who had been patrolling the perimeter wall, quickly rushed up the mound as more young men tried desperately to jump the wall.

One young man fell off the top of the wall and was held by police officers, who bound him with his shoelace and a belt and held him outside the Grandstand entrance where he was told to sit on the dirty floor.

“Your parents will have to come to the station and get you tonight,” an inspector was overheard telling him.

Those who had rushed inside for a short while were chased outside by the mounted police officers.

Some time after, PM Prime Minster Portia Simpson Miller was seen being transported inside the stadium. This further enraged one woman.

“All Portia, she cyaan get my vote,” the woman said. “A bare foreigner pack up in deh and we weh live yah cyaan go inside.”

Another woman said: “This not fair, after wi buy wi ticket.”

Attempts yesterday to get a comment from the Inter-Secondary Schools Sports Association were unsuccessful.

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

Macron pledges ‘zero tolerance’ for arson after spate of fires in France
International News, Latest News
Macron pledges ‘zero tolerance’ for arson after spate of fires in France
July 16, 2026
NOISY-SUR-ECOLE, France (AFP) — French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday pledged "zero tolerance" for arson after wildfires scorched thousands of ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Image Plus earns two-thirds of last year’s profit in three months
Business, Latest News
Image Plus earns two-thirds of last year’s profit in three months
July 16, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica--IMAGE Plus Consultants Limited earned the equivalent of two-thirds of its entire 2025/26 profit during the first three months of th...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Jet Star Records’ Palmer brothers honoured for contribution to reggae in UK
Entertainment, Latest News
Jet Star Records’ Palmer brothers honoured for contribution to reggae in UK
Howard Campbell 
July 16, 2026
Last March, the Palmer brothers were among 12 reggae stalwarts honoured by the Brent City Council for their contribution to the music’s development in...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
US limits stays of students, journalists
International News, Latest News
US limits stays of students, journalists
July 16, 2026
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) -- President Donald Trump's administration moved Thursday to impose stricter limits on how long foreign students and j...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
US retail sales lose steam in June as consumers spend less on gasoline
International News, Latest News
US retail sales lose steam in June as consumers spend less on gasoline
July 16, 2026
WASHINGTON, United States (AFP) -- US consumers slowed their spending in June while energy costs fell, government data showed Thursday, cooling retail...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
North-South Highway round trip could rise to $5,220
Latest News, News
North-South Highway round trip could rise to $5,220
July 16, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica -- MOTORISTS travelling the full length of the Highway 2000 North-South Link could soon pay $5,220 for a round trip between Caymanas...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
IEG pins recovery on $2.3-billion project slate after profit tumbles 58%
Business, Latest News
IEG pins recovery on $2.3-billion project slate after profit tumbles 58%
July 16, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — INNOVATIVE Energy Group Limited (IEG) is banking on approximately $2.3 billion in newly secured and restarted projects to sustain ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Public schools get 55% boost in operational funding — Morris Dixon
Latest News, News
Public schools get 55% boost in operational funding — Morris Dixon
BY RENAE OSBOURNE Observer staff reporter osbourner@jamaicaobserver.com 
July 16, 2026
The Ministry of Education (MOE) has increased operational funding to all public schools by an average of 55 per cent this year, injecting an additiona...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct