AG, Blackmoore deem Salisbury protest illegal

The protest action took place on May 11
The protest action took place on May 11

National Security and Justice Minister, Rayburn Blackmoore and Attorney General, Levi Peter, have both described protest action staged in Salisbury on May 11th as illegal.

They made the remarks while addressing the Second Meeting of the First Session of the Ninth Parliament on Wednesday.

Protesters blocked the main Highway connecting Roseau and Portsmouth, raising concerned over deplorable state of farm access roads.

Blackmore told the House that there were no justifications for the protest.

According to him, it was not a peaceful protest and can only be characterized as “a mob, a riot.”

“A naked transgression of our laws of this country and that cannot stand in the civilized and democratic society,” he said.

Referring to MP for Salisbury, Hector John, Blackmoore said, “When I listened to the member from Salisbury trying to redeem himself, it is too late. Speaking like he was prosecuting his case.”

Blackmoore revealed that according to information received, “a truck load and van load of stones were dumped next to an ice cream parlor on the hill in Salisbury.”

“The member of Salisbury therefore must say to this Honourable House with absolute clarity why were the stones dumped next to the ice cream parlor on the hill in Salisbury overlooking the E.O Leblanc Highway,” he said.

He stated that in a civilized and democratic society, the law provides a facility for legal peaceful protest.

Meantime Peter also said the protest had no justifications and was “unlawful” and “criminal” as far as the laws of Dominica are concerned.

“All of us in Dominica has things that we would like to see better,” he noted. “Do we then, Madam Speaker, get ourselves together with a few others who share our views or wish to cause disruption and block roads? Do we then cause the mayhem that was witnessed in Salisbury?”

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64 Comments

  1. truth
    May 31, 2015

    I have learnt from my then general secretary of CSA at the time that a protest action can either be successful or unsuccessful Sir, legal or illegal is not in it, there is a time in life people will protest for their God given right. We the policy makers must understand that, all you need is to be tactful in solving the problem. Some of us have been part of a protest action, I have been.

  2. Smiff
    May 30, 2015

    I thought they were just putting out their garbage.

  3. Moin meme
    May 29, 2015

    the “NO LAW NO CONSTITUTION” cabinet is talking about “NAKED TRANSGRESSION” hahahahahha, choke choke, hahahahaha

  4. Loud Voice
    May 29, 2015

    Most of these comments are just ridiculous. I dislike the fact that we have become so political in this country that we fail to distinguish right from wrong and when other persons don’t agree with our political philosophy we twists things in such a way to make ourselves and others believe them. Let me reiterate so it is clear…it is our constitutional right to demonstrate, but it is ILLIGAL to demonstrate without a permit and to block major roads. You want to demonstrate? Fine, just do it the right way. I really hope this stop all the stupid comments being posted.

    • May 30, 2015

      Please tell me mr. Loud Voice under which Chapter and Section of the Constitution does any citizen of the Commonwealth of Dominica need a permit to protest?

  5. Shameless
    May 29, 2015

    All I will say is that the protest was NOT illegal and they know it. The laws of Dominica gives people a right to self defense and the police is guilty of dispersing tear-gas on a peaceful protest. No one even threw a stone or bottle before the police threw tear-gas therefore the people had a right to defend themselves.

    Rayburn and Peter were both officers of the law and therefore know better. Time will tell so I am watching with bated breath. Dominica does not need a repeat of 1979 (ask Charlo) so politician should not continue to fan the flames of a burning fire.

    Assertive, NOT Aggressive! :twisted:

  6. Papa Dom
    May 29, 2015

    How can the protest be illegal? If the men are saying that blocking the road was wrong or “illegal” then one can probably agree but it can never be said that a protest is illegal. There is nothing in the laws of Dominica which makes protest of any kind illegal. And to think that both these men supposedly studied law, it makes you wonder.

  7. Love All
    May 29, 2015

    Anything done to public property without permission is illegal. The protest may not be illegal but blocking the road was definitely illegal. Party supporters or not.

  8. peopleareHILARIOUS
    May 28, 2015

    Besides propaganda, citizens get information by their paychecks — in the Russian idiom, they can choose either “the television or the refrigerator.”

    Sergei Guriev is a professor of economics at Sciences Po, Paris. Daniel Treisman is a professor of political science at the University of California, Los Angeles.

  9. peopleareHILARIOUS
    May 28, 2015

    And violence is not just costly — it’s unnecessary. Instead, the new authoritarians immobilize political rivals with endless court proceedings, interrogations and other legal formalities. No need to create martyrs when one can defeat opponents by wasting their time. Mr. Putin’s agents have begun numerous criminal cases against the opposition leader Aleksei A. Navalny: He has been accused of defrauding a French cosmetics company and stealing wood and interrogated about the killing of an elk.

    The West first needs to address its own role in enabling these autocrats. Lobbying for dictators should be considered a serious breach of business ethics. Western democracies should provide objective native-language news broadcasts to counter the propaganda and censorship. And because the information-based dictatorships are susceptible to the pressures of modernization and inevitable economic failings, we need patience.

    Besides propaganda, citizens get information by their paychecks — in the…

  10. peopleareHILARIOUS
    May 28, 2015

    Mr. Nazarbayev, for instance, hired Tony Blair — or donate to their foundations.

    Above all, the new autocrats use violence sparingly. This is their key innovation. Hitler took credit for liquidating enemies. Mobutu hanged rivals before large audiences, while Idi Amin of Uganda fed the bodies of victims to crocodiles. Claiming responsibility was part of the strategy: It scared citizens.

    The new autocrats are not squeamish — they can viciously repress separatists or club unarmed protesters. But violence reveals the regime’s true nature and turns supporters into opponents. Today’s dictators carefully deny complicity when opposition activists or journalists are murdered. Take the case of the former Ukrainian president Leonid Kuchma. A tape of him reportedly ordering the abduction of a journalist, Georgy Gongadze, who was later found dead, helped fuel the Orange Revolution of 2004, which brought Mr. Kuchma’s rivals to power.

  11. May 28, 2015

    The right to Protest is as Sacred; Constitutional and Legal as the ten Commandments of the Bible. Why did the two former Police officers now Parliamentarians have to embarrass themselves and declare in Parliament that the protest action by the people of Salisbury was Illegal. If any action was illegal was the actions of the Police who sort to remove the road blockage by teargassing the protesters. As has happened on many occasions in the past ; the simple intervention by the relevant Ministers who in the first instance created the protest action would have sufficed. We are not in Egypt gentlemen please don’t add fuel to the fire; instead you should go and apologize to the people of Salisbury as you have done in the past when there were similar protest action in the Constituencies which voted for the DLP.

    • The Facts
      May 29, 2015

      There is a serious problem with some of you, putting God into something where He does not belong and has nothing to do with it as also His Ten Commandments. There is no comparison or equality. God does not condone disobedience and riots. Please leave him out of this illegal, protest.
      Do not let God get angry with those who cause divisions and disunity and also their supporters as you. He may already have been offended and angry since the protest took place, until today that some do not take the blame for disrupting other nationals in their every day business..

    • Me
      May 29, 2015

      A florid piece of prose Gabriel, marred by “sort” instead of “sought” and the inappropriate use of the semicolon. No, don’t mention it. You are welcome.

      • xerctfvygbhunijm
        May 29, 2015

        So all hope is not lost. Phew.

    • derp
      May 29, 2015

      the protest wasn’t illegal, but the blocking of the road was, see the difference hmmmmmmm

      • Titiwi
        May 30, 2015

        Pissing in the street of Roseau is illegal. Maybe the police should beat them with a stick and spray teargas after these lawbreakers? Laws do not always equate with natural justice, you only have to study that jumped-up corporal Adolf Hitler or the apartheid laws in S. Africa and the segregation laws of the U.S.A. to realise that.

  12. I Am ME
    May 28, 2015

    Does that surprise anyone? The AG, Blackmoore and the Skerrit DLP sure do NOT surprise me. Here is why: ” Dominica has strongly condemned street protests by the opposition in Venezuela earlier this week which has left at least three people dead” Dominica News Online – Friday, February 14th, 2014 at 10:18 AM https://dominicanewsonline.com/news/homepage/news/general/dominica-condemns-venezuela-violence/
    “The governing Dominica Labour Party (DLP) has thrown its support behind the president of Venezuela, Nicholas Maduro, in light of recent protests taking place in that south American country.” Dominica News Online – Monday, February 17th, 2014 at 1:16 PM Dominica News Online – Monday, February 17th, 2014 at 1:16 PM. DLP pledges support for Venezuela’s Maduro

    This current Dominica is “Little Venezuela.” That’s how the Venezuelan government treats their citizens and the proof is there to see the government of Skerrit always supported the government against the people. so what to…

  13. Barou
    May 28, 2015

    Get a grip people, educate you all selves about the law of Dominica before talking. The Riot was indeed illegal, Some of the persons who were pelting stones have never even planted a red bean with toilet paper. come on guys.

    • Titiwi
      May 29, 2015

      Hmmm Barou, plant a red bean with toilet paper? Never heard of that. Do you have to do that to qualify for throwing stones? There must be an awful lot of little boys walking around with red beans and toilet paper in their pockets. What did we do before we had toilet paper I wonder?

  14. ASK Savarin
    May 28, 2015

    But Mr. Joking man? I mean the man was a police officer and he does not know what is the right of people in our democracy? Blacmoore, before you make foolish statements why don’t you ask the excellency Charles Savarin about the legality of a peaceful protest? Or better yet, what about asking him to address the nation about legal and illegal protest, since he was the first one to put together a successful protest in Dominica after our independence? You are NOT the correct person to tell us what is legal or illegal

    • The Facts
      May 29, 2015

      You failed to recognize the attitude of those people who also pelted stones at the police. You uphold disorder, division and disunity in the land.
      What if some people were killed? What would you have to say on this matter?
      It is a shame. They projected to the world the type of people they are. You should contemplate on this.

  15. I Am Me
    May 28, 2015

    Blackmoore and his colleagues are so surrounded by illegal things that he even seem to forget what is illegal. DNO please allow me to list a few things that I and the democratic world consider to be illegal so Blackmoore could tell us how he thinks about them. I will for sure not accuse him or his colleagues of anything. I just want to hear his take ok DNO:
    1. Blackmoore, is it legal to bribe voters? 2. Is it legal for a French citizen to contest an election? 3. Is it legal to not pay public work workers so thy could feed their families and pay their bills? 4. Is I legal for a sitting parliamentarian to have personal properties like villas, caterpillars dump trucks, backhoes, construction company registered on the name of another person, and even get duty free concession on some of those things? Blackmoore, is it legal to sell my property like passport, land etc and not being truthful about how many sold, cost and how much was put on my account? These are just a few sir

  16. Views Expressed
    May 28, 2015

    “AG, Blackmoore deem Salisbury protest illegal”

    Dominicans deem DLP Skerrit led Government Illegal….”

    We all learnt from First Communion and Confirmation that Satan cannot condemnn sin……

    I rest my case

    • The Facts
      May 29, 2015

      Did you learn to be obedient to authority, pray and let God handle situations instead of taking them in your hands?

  17. Zandoli
    May 28, 2015

    If you think the people of Salisbury committed a criminal offence, I dare you to arrest anybody.

    You guys have taught Dominicans that the only way to get action from this government is to block the roads and that is exactly what the people have done. Will it happen again somewhere in Dominica? Absolutely.

    As a government, if you do your job there will be o need for that kind of protest. Keep ignoring and lying to the people and that is exactly what you will get.

  18. Non Political
    May 28, 2015

    And that was no peaceful protest. Stop seeing things with rose or aqua colored glasses I don’t want to hear nothing about Skerrit or Linton say this or that , law is law

  19. Non Political
    May 28, 2015

    Dominica Vehicles and Road Traffic Act. Pg,237 …51. It is an offence to cause a motor vehicle to remain stationary on a road in such a position or in such condition or in circumstances as to be likely to cause danger or obstruction to other traffic. Meaning blocking the road is unlawful

    • Eagle Eye
      May 28, 2015

      The traffic act you mention and the meaning you gave,have no place in this conversation/demonstration. stop playing with people mind.

    • Titiwi
      May 29, 2015

      And so is dumping garbage……….!

    • no name
      May 29, 2015

      you must be sort

    • Shameless
      May 29, 2015

      STOP being an idiot!
      This law does not pertain to protest action. You are merely trying to justify the unjustifiabe actions of the police. “Context” cannot be over looked when interpreting the law. I dare say any charges brought against a protester under this law will be dismissed under appeal because the protest was legal and the vehicles were used as a means in support of a LEGAL action. “Not left on the street”…

      It sadden me to se how some people try using the law to accomplish their own means which DISREGARDING others when seeking to hold on to political office. Time will tell and I am watching.

      Assertive, NOT Aggressive! :twisted:

  20. Francisco Telemaque
    May 28, 2015

    The caption reads: “National Security and Justice minister Rayburn Blackmoor and Attorney general Levi Peter have both described the action staged in Salisbury on may 11th illegal.” Perhaps I may be confused , or since they say I am dumb; perhaps my comprehension of the English language has failed me!

    I am going to take French!

    But here is the confusion; under the same caption we read: “Blackmoore told the House that there were justifications for the protest.”

    Well if the protest was justified, how on earth can it be illegal at the same time?

    “According to him, it was not a peaceful protest and can only be characterized as “a mob, a riot.” Are these people out of their mind, or are they dumb, and ignorant as they say I am? The police provoked the people into anger! I am aware that flip flopping is common in the circus, people turn upside down at random. I however, I have never experience a flip such as this in my long years of living!

    • The Facts
      May 29, 2015

      If you cannot speak patois/creole, you will have a rough time learning even basic French – the real French :lol: :lol: :lol:
      Common Telemaque. Utilize your common sense if you have any. What justification? Get this into your head. It was an illegal protest. They refused to listen to the police. It is the other way around. They provoked the police. They were out for trouble and by no means peace.

      • Francisco Telemaque
        June 1, 2015

        “Blackmore told the House that there were no justifications for the protest.”

        Facts the quote above is an extract from what we all are responding to. Those are the words of Blackmoore himself; not Francisco Telemaque, so I do not know why you are trying to defend, there is no defense, not even you can spin his words and thoughts.

        Now as for patios, I am not sure I wish to learn it at this time; I know a little bit of Spanish, and German too. French may not be that difficult for me to learn as long as it is from an institution and not at street level.

  21. DollFace
    May 28, 2015

    So having said that Mr. Blackmoore, what you gonna do? Use DNO pictures to round up and lock up everybody that was protesting??

    You think all you fellas have good head??

    But all you day will come, doh worry about that.

  22. Tampa
    May 28, 2015

    The AG and Blackmore are making statements that fit the protest action taken by the Dominica Labour Party when the Freedom Party government was in office. The DLP organized a protest that blocked entrance into Roseau. They blocked the road in Canefield and Loubiere. They even blocked the Canefield airport. The government was responsible enough to meet with them to discuss their grievances. No one was arrested or jailed. I wonder whether the AG or Blackmore were police officers at that time. Why was it ok for the DLP to protest and it is wrong for another group to do the same? This is not where our democracy should be going. We have been there before in 1979. Let us not go back there. Government has a responsibility to listen to the protesters. The mature thing that should have been done was for the government to diffuse the situation by meeting with the people in Salisbury instead of having the police do the negotiating. This was cowardly on the part of the government.

  23. Anansi
    May 28, 2015

    What a load of bollocks! So what are these two going to do?! They cannot issue retro active arrest warrants for the “ring leaders” involved. What a waste of parliamentary speech!

  24. May 28, 2015

    mr. levi peter & and mr, blackmore if the shoes were on the other feet you all would be singing a different song.

  25. Anonymous
    May 28, 2015

    Rayburn u and Peter all u bread WELL BUTTER while the people of Salisbury continues to suffer all I’m saying is one day one day

  26. Titiwi
    May 28, 2015

    If the protest action in Salisbury is illegal so was the much worse protest action in 1979 that toppled our govt. but the man who lead that action is now our President. A handsome reward for an illegal protest. Will the President condemn the poor farmers of Salisbury for doing the same in a peaceful manner?

    • The Facts
      May 29, 2015

      Small Titiwi, are you ever living in the past. 1979 – 2015. Why bring this up? They are also two different incidents. Stick to the present and the issue.

  27. May 28, 2015

    The actions by the people of Salisbury was political, illegal and should be definitely categorized as a riot. Of course, we do know that mass arrests are imminent and that quite a few participants in this unlawful riot will be dragged before the Court to face the wrath of the mighty Labourites and other law-abiding Dominicans. Their acts were tantamount to treason and their judgement should run accordingly. I, as well as many other faithful Labourites would not mind seeing the reinstatement of public floggings for those arrested; not to mention public execution by means of hanging for their leaders. These rioters need to get the message that there are severe consequences to attempting to overthrow the duly elected Labour Government. I am calling on loyal Labourite Police Officers, Prosecutors and Judges to strike a resounding and crushing blow, once and for all, against these callous criminals. Send them crawling back into their holes with fear of the mighty Labour Power!

    • Francisco Telemaque
      May 28, 2015

      Patrick John thought he was invincible and expend the might of Labor Power on the people, until he was neutralized by a certain man name Charles Savarin, who created Dominica’s first civil war.

      Labor power he was then, labor power he remains in Dominica’s Palace sitting on his thrown enjoying life while scum like you talking crap about labor power. It is the words of your kind that will help to start the revolution; you watch!

    • Fouchette
      May 29, 2015

      You are obviously an attention-holic and usually I don’t respond to post like yours, NOT EVEN with a thumbs down because even that seems to make your day…..you got to have your daily dose of attention on this forum. However I am going against the norm only this once, simply to let you know that I see right through you. You’re full of fouchette!!

  28. Mad Max
    May 28, 2015

    we are with u the people of Salisbury….stand your ground….

  29. real possie
    May 28, 2015

    You all can down play it as much as you all can, I am yet to see a pic on DNO with a single person with a stone in their hand, off that was the Middle East we would see that but not one but we know there’s footage out there. But the time will come when those involeve will be taken before the courts.

    • The Facts
      May 29, 2015

      Ask yourself. Were those pictures taken, printed and posted? As proof, the government should demand that all of them be released.

  30. Me
    May 28, 2015

    Well Savarin was illegal when he shut down Dominica then.

  31. anonymous2
    May 28, 2015

    What’s illegal is the present govt. But where you have people that are too lazy to vote, that is what you get.

  32. May 28, 2015

    Mr Blackmore , I was happy to hear you speak . Guess PM gave you the green light . I believe it’s time you make your conscience guide you , since you’re a wounded lion under the PM or moreso a prey to your predator . Salisbury people , did demonstrate the courage that even people like you fail to exercise rather than going in rhum shops and say how you feel Mr Blackmore . Shame on you and I will continue to say to people of Salisbury those who will follow after kudos . illegal is in the government and so it’s a lawless state who cares , pm said no law no constitution so hell with law and constitution when they get out of office the country’s constitution will be regularize . :)

  33. DEKARWATT.
    May 28, 2015

    Dominicans need to take lessons from the French. I call it people power. The taking of the Bastille,one of the biggest revolutions in French history,which got rid of the Monarchy .Today the people still have the power to shut that country down when the government does wrong. That’s DEMOCRACY at work SIRS. Dominica is not Cuba or Venezuela and will never be. Think again ,you may have the President on your side, but the STONE BRIGADE still exist. Listen to the people even though they’re not on your side. Dominica is still a Democracy I think!!!!

    • The Facts
      May 29, 2015

      The French? You must be referring to Guadeloupe and Martinique.
      Do you not know your country’s history? In the end the British paid the French to get out of Dominica.

  34. Peter Potter
    May 28, 2015

    Blackmore, you and your fellow ministers incl. the PM do your jobs properly and then there is no reason for the suffering citizens to protest. Also it saves you the headache of determining wether these protest are lawful or not. Do you think Dominicans protest just for the fun of it?? I tell you why Dominicans are starting to protest now – they are fed up of the empty promises, the constant lies, the ongoing mismanagement of the country, the utter incompetence of this government, the incompetence of the police force, the incompetence of the judicial system and judges… You want me to go on? I need another 5 pages. If you all had one ounce of dignity in all you and only cared a little bit about Dominica, you would all resign!

  35. african queen MS
    May 28, 2015

    mr and mr the protest was very peaceful until law men started pushing and hitting people did you not see the phone recording people have every right to protest
    .steve wonder could have seen this .

    • Labour
      May 28, 2015

      They have to push you if you block de road it’s ok to protest but no to block government road my friend. Why they doesn’t push nobody when hon linton and company had there Protest outside financial center . And de police was there. You think if they were on de side with there placards they would push them . Desparate for power

      • Tjebe fort
        May 29, 2015

        And Skrit desperate to stay in power my brother, at any cost!

  36. grell
    May 28, 2015

    Blackmoore and Peter grow some nuts,What was illegal about the citizens fighting to get SKERRIT THE BOY ATTENTION,THESE PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SUFFERING FOR 15 YEARS TO GO BACK TO WORK ON THERE FARMS.Skerrit continue to make them suffer for not supporting his regime which will never happen.These people have always been hard working and not depending on government,Give them the respect they deserve,They do not come to the so called begging red clinic so the suffer.This is total political victimization.Skerrit needs to grow up and stop acting like a boy.So Blackmoore all the citizens that are in this picture will be arrested.Well lets see,you and the regime are pushing hard for a repeat of 79.Every dictator if we read history demise has come.It is a matter of time for SKERRIT,BLACKMOORE AND PETER,GOD WILL FREE THE POOR AND HELPLESS PEOPLE SOON.AMEN

    • Labour
      May 28, 2015

      Read de traffic act that should answer all your questions.

  37. real possie
    May 28, 2015

    Then Spaggs sit there and say it was peaceful, well I know the jail up Stock Farm is very peaceful too.

    • %
      May 28, 2015

      I fully endorsed the protest. WELL DONE SALISBURY.

    • May 28, 2015

      Real possie you better stay very close to under Mr. Skerrit’s armpit because today is Spraggs tomorrow may very well be yours. The debate in the parliament is a complete and total charade. It seems that the AG and Mr. Blackmore are both talking about laws that they do not understand and seem to be interpreting laws that do not exist. It is really a shame to listen to these labour party hacks and how poorly informed they are.

  38. Street vibes
    May 28, 2015

    This is the reason why I do not listen to the rubbish which goes on in Parliament.

    • The Facts
      May 29, 2015

      You prefer viewing the rubbish on TV as Soap Operas? What do you learn from them?

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