By Adrian Frater, STAR Writer
Police maintain a strong presence on Barnett Street in Montego Bay after protestors blocked the road.
Western Bureau
Anarchy reigned in downtown Montego Bay, St James, yesterday morning as patrons who attended the popular 'Japzy Thursday' party in the Barnett Lane community reacted angrily to the police's decision to lock-off the session at midnight.
Irate residents and patrons lit tyres and old household items along Barnett Street and at other strategic locations across the second city, causing traffic to back-up for several miles. Numerous persons on their way to work were forced to abandon their vehicles and walk long distances to their respective work places.
"Now we want to go to work and look what ugly cause," said an elderly woman, as the taxi in which she was travelling stopped along the Tucker Irwin main road. "This is madness, eno. Country can't run like this."
It took a large contingent of police and soldiers and the intervention of the promoter of the event, businessman Clive 'Japanese' Bowen, to restore order about 10:45 a.m. Units from the St James Fire Brigade put out the fires.
Promoter disappointed
While not condoning the violence, Bowen expressed disappointment with the actions of the police. He noted that in the four months since he started 'Japzy Thursday', it has been incident free in what is considered a volatile community.
"It is not really about me, it is about the people,' said Bowen. "This is a place where people feel safe and secure. If you lose your phone and you make an announcement, the person who find it just bring it back. It is just a good vibe thing for the people."
Deputy Superintendent of Police, Paul Stanton, who was among the security personnel seeking to restore order, said their action was a part of the drive to enforce the Noise Abatement Act.
"We had a press conference last week where we warned the various promoters about our new resolve to clamp down on night noise," said Deputy Superintendent Stanton.
At the press conference last week, Superintendent Steve McGregor and Area One divisional commander, Assistant Commissioner Clifford Blake, told some 30 sound system operators, promoters and owners of entertainment venues, that the flexibility they previously enjoyed would be
curtailed.
The police say that no event will be allowed to progress beyond the cut-off times of midnight during the week and 2 a.m. on weekends.
Protestors lit debris on Railway Lane in Montego Bay to protest the shutting down of Japsy Thursday, a weekly dance in the city. - Richard Morais photos
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