By PAVEL BAILEY
Tribune Court Reporter
pbailey@tribunemedia.net
LINCOLN Bain and eight others were charged in Magistrate’s Court yesterday with unlawful assembly and obstruction in connection with Wednesday’s protest in Parliament Square.
Tempers flared on Wednesday when officers tried to relocate Bain and other protestors trying to deliver their own bill to address their proclaimed “immigration crisis” from the steps of Parliament to Rawson Square.
When protestors resisted such a move, things escalated to the point that nine people were arrested in connection with the incident and taken to Central Station.
Bain, the leader of the Coalition of Independents (COI), along with eight of his supporters faced numerous charges before Magistrate Samuel McKinney in connection with their standoff with authorities.
Bain, 45, Rakino Seymour, 35, George Griffin, 47, Travis Bodie, 33, Mario Bain, 47, Charlotte Green, 41, and Conroy Ingraham, 47 were accused of unlawful assembly, and obstruction of the Senate and House of Assembly.
Other members of the COI faced additional charges in connection with this clash with authorities. These include Leonardo Sands, 36, who faced charges of assaulting a police officer, resisting arrest, and disorderly behaviour and the youngest protestor, Cara Ellis, 22 who faced a sole charge of obstruction.
Ingraham faced further charges of assaulting a police officer and resisting arrest while Greene had an additional charge of disorderly behaviour.
During the arraignment, Magistrate McKinney told the accused that while being gathered at Parliament Square, they acted tumultuously in such a manner that it disturbed the peace. He further stated that the defendants put persons in the neighbourhood of such assembly in fear. The magistrate’s amendment to the charges to include the tumultuous act line was met with protest by the defendants’ lawyers, including attorney Maria Daxon.
It is further alleged that the defendants obstructed members of Parliament from entering the House of Assembly as well as obstructing multiple RBPF officers while they attempted to execute their duties.
All nine defendants pleaded not guilty to all charges against them. Magistrate McKinney then granted each defendant bail at $1,500 with one surety.
After being released on bail, Bain told the assembled press and throngs of party supporters of his intention to continue to push for the government to ban children born in The Bahamas to “illegal immigrants” from applying for citizenship. He, along with Ms Daxon, also stated their intention to pursue charges against the officers they claim assaulted them during the incident.
The trial in this matter is set for December 1.
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