Today the Leader of the Opposition deflected the blame being case on him by the Prime Minister. He maintains that though there was an Opposition presence, it is a genuine act of protest.
Dean Barrow, UDP Leader
"I would be happy to admit playing a part in everything, except of course the looting. I think he disrespects those citizens who on their own because convictions, because of their sense of how righteous a cause this is, because of their outrage at him, decide to stand up to make sacrifices to display courage. To suggest that they are the pawns of the UDP really is extremely disrespectful. In any event, the protest on Belcan Bridge, the protest at his house, there is nothing with those protests. I am proud to be associated, in some small way, with them. Civil disobedience is a legitimate tool of democratic dissent. It is as ancient as the hills and the Prime Minister can't discredit anybody by accusing them of engaging in civil disobedience over what I insist is a righteous cause. Now nobody can condone the looting. You must as a responsible person condemn it. But you must also seek to understand these are elements that are poor, deprived. When they see an opportunity they will take it."
"There is also the question of the delay of the security forces in responding. I heard Channel 7 giving due warning. I hard Alfonso Noble saying that the chant had started out at the Belcan Bridge, 'Albert Street Albert Street.' I gather the security forces were in camp just over the bridge and yet they did not try to get on to Albert Street to prevent anything from happening and they did not even respond quickly after things started happening on Albert Street. I thought this was because they had strict orders to guard the People's United Party headquarters on Queen Street. There are those who propose another theory. There are those who say they were given orders to leave the looters alone so that what did happen might happen in order to turn merchants and business people against the legitimate protests and against the UDP who the Prime Minister of course will then seek to blame."
