BURNT SAVANNAH, Westmoreland — Residents and business operators in Burnt Savannah staged a protest on Friday, May 15, voicing frustration over a curfew they say has crippled their livelihoods and left the community feeling abandoned by their Prime Minister and harassed by the police.

According to residents, the curfew has been in place for more than two months and has severely affected their ability to earn an income, especially as many families continue to recover from the severe effects of Hurricane Melissa, while still contending with childcare and other expenses.

They noted that the curfew is in effect from Wednesdays to Sundays, giving residents only Mondays and Tuesdays, the slowest days to operate beyond the 6:00pm timeline. Residents are pleading to go up until 12 midnight.

The protest was sparked by an incident that occurred on the night of May 14 during a candlelight vigil being held for a community member, Clayon “Taj” Campbell, who recently died in a motorcycle crash.

Residents claimed they had heard unofficial reports that the curfew had been lifted and proceeded with the vigil, only to be later “mistreated and pepper sprayed” by the police who were shutting down the event at 7:00 pm.

“We heard from a source that there was no curfew on Thursdays. So there was this guy (Clayon Campbell), that crashed off his bike and we were having his candle light,” Kalia Forrester said. “When we look, we only saw two van, then afterwards we see two more come in. Then two more [from the other side], so they back we up.”

She explained that officers reportedly ordered patrons and vendors gathered for the vigil to leave immediately despite residents attempting to assist the grieving family with cleaning up. Tensions escalated after the deceased man’s mother appealed to the crowd to cooperate with the police. She alleged that despite residents complying, officers used pepper spray on the gathering, resulting in panic and injuries.

“Everybody start cooperate. Right after the cooperation going on they start spraying us with pepper spray. A eight year old baby get spray, stampede start, people pickney get stamp up. Then when you look, where police get machete from? They running us down with machete. Then after they pepper spray the little girl, they go to the little girl father yard a create problem,” she claimed.

One of the main contentions the residents have is with how the police are treating them.

“We say that is not how they [should] deal with it, they are talking to us like we are animals,” Forrester said.

Residents are now demanding clarity on whether an official curfew is in effect, noting that they have not seen any formal notices published on the social media pages of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), as is the usual procedure.

They said officers “just showed up one night” and told them to go inside because the community had been placed under curfew due to recent murders and THAT the number of “back roads” between Georges Plain, Burnt Savannah and Frome are allegedly being used by criminals to move through the area.

“We need justice and we need freedom,” Forrester stated. “when the curfew is on, who blocks the short cut? The short cuts are still there, and when the curfew on, murdering gwaan.”

The residents argue that the restrictions are unfairly targeting business operators while doing little to reduce crime.

Community members claim the curfew has prevented them from hosting events such as Bar Hop parties, which many rely on for income. They also allege inconsistencies in enforcement, stating that some establishments remain open late into the night while others are forced to close.

“They are not trying to keep the community safe, but rather targeting business places with the intention of preventing income,” another resident said during the protest.

Forrester further alleged that residents have been threatened for gathering in groups.

“Police say dem we shoot we if dem see no large gathering,” she claimed. “And say if we waah keep dance we fi guh a Sav or Grange Hill.”

Residents also expressed disappointment with what they described as a lack of Government support for Westmoreland following Hurricane Melissa.

“Our Prime Minister has turned a blind eye to us. Westmoreland hasn’t really gotten anything for the Hurricane Melissa relief. So we have to help ourselves” said Forrester.

She explained that many families depend on small businesses and community events to survive.

“We are bar owners, we are shop owners. We do Bar Hop events, where that is what we are trying to use to rebuild ourselves. It we use to send our kids to school”.

“When we are under curfew from six in the morning till six in the evening, how are we going to cope? How are we going to take care of our children?”

As frustration continues to grow, residents are calling on Prime Minister Dr Andrew Holness to intervene, insisting that the curfew is unjust and that members of the community are being subjected to excessive force and economic hardship. They want the curfew lifted and proper policing to take place.

Up until press time Observer Online was unable to get a comment from the Westmoreland Police.