The results from yesterday's City Council race in the city weren't official until 6 am this morning but united democratic party supporters had a six hour head start on the celebrating. Before midnight, last night a steady stream of jubilant supporters gathered in front of the City Center for what can only be described as a street fest. It was a victory party sanctioned by the streets and our 7NEWS team was there and Keith Swift has a unique look into the mindset of those who feel they've just had enough.
Keith Swift Reporting,
At midnight Zenaida was still cautiously optimistic but downstairs on Central American Boulevard a victory party in her honor was already at fever pitch. Supporters ttook over the eastern end of the boulevard. They flew flags and waved rags and mobbed passing vehicles. They also had a lot to say about a victory
they knew was imminent. They told me the celebration was more than just about Zenaida's victory.
Keith Swift,
Why are you all out here?
Supporter #1: We are not no breeze.
Supporter #2: We won't work hard to pay no tax and we are not breeze.
Supporter #3: The people are fed up, we are fed with what's going on, all the corruption.
Supporter #1: They want to tax my pickney who doesn't even know how to pay tax, they are not yet working to pay tax yet, they are going to school, and they want them to pay thirty five cents for a chips.
Keith Swift,
You all believe that Zenaida won?
Supporters: Of course.
And they were so confident that they already composed a victory song. She is the rapper and her stage again was in the middle of Central American Boulevard.
Female Rapper Chanting: 'We don't want Marshall.'
Those lyrics would minutes later turn into improv comedy in this ad hoc street fest. The guy in the blue shirt depicts Marshall Nunez. We stress that he was a willing participant.
[Skit with young man being chased and then beaten.]
Things took a turn from the comedic to the chilling when the shirt was set on fire. But the real fuel for this crowd was the smell of victory and at some moments that led to triumphant chants and dancing in the street. More fuel was
added to the flame about an hour later when the UDP's party whip Michael Finnegan made his entrance. He urged for calm.
Hon. Michael Finnegan,
"I would advise not to act premature, although things are going our way, we ought not to act premature."
Its advice the crowd didn't take because minutes later - he too was mobbed. That again just another outburst in a scene that showed how long the electorally luckless UDP had been waiting for something to celebrate.
We again stress that the incident with the young man being assaulted on the street was only a dramatization. The crowd did eventually disperse but we note that when our team left at around 4 am there were still a dozen or so hardcore supporters still outside.
