Calm returns after unrest, 100 arrested

Last Updated on Saturday, 3 May 2025, 12:37 by Writer

After days of sporadic protests and pockets of unrest across sections of Guyana’s coastland and Linden triggered by the death of Adriana Younge, calm returned, but the capital city on Tuesday remained a virtual ghost town.

Most businesses and government departments closed their doors after police and groups of persons clashed in Georgetown on Monday and a few businesses were looted.

In other instances, police cleared sections of Regent Street, the commercial thoroughfare, of debris that was being prepared for fiery blockages.

Even the few Chinese-owned stores that normally open on Sundays and holidays opted to sacrifice some sales on Tuesday.

Usually congested city streets were sparsely populated by the rare passing of vehicles and less than a handful of pedestrians at any given time.

The busiest spots seen were outside Stabroek and Bourda markets.

While schools opened their doors on Tuesday, most students stayed at home.

Except for one supermarket near central Georgetown, others remained shuttered.

Bourda and Stabroek markets also closed their doors, and there was barely a trickle of buyers who took advantage of the few vendors who opted to continue business.

Police Commissioner Clifton Hicken said the situation had returned to normalcy.

“The joint services posture has now normalized the situation to prevent people from perpetrating acts of crime against each other,” he said in a statement.

He added that Joint Services patrols would continue to “maintain a strong presence” in Guyana’s ten administrative regions to ensure law and order.

The Police Commissioner said over the past 24 hours, 100 persons have been arrested for various offenses, including robbery under arms.

In addition, 37 motorcycles that were used to perpetrate crimes had been seized.

“As such, charges will be laid for those in custody,” Mr. Hicken said.

Mr Hicken said the Guyana Police Force (GPF) had issued wanted bulletins for a number of individuals.

He said the GPF remains resolute in its efforts to restore order and ensure public safety and urges all citizens to cooperate as operations continue across the country.

In two separate robberies Monday night, police shot two persons who subsequently died.

Earlier Tuesday, Adriana’s father, Subrian Younge, appealed to the public to keep the peace rather than engage in violence.

“Everybody who out there who say they love Adriana and want to be there for Adriana; Adriana won’t like violence. I telling you all the truth from me heart. From me heart, Adriana don’t like violence. Adriana not a violent girl so if you all please love me daughter, you all stop the violence,” Mr Younge said on TikTok.

Leader of the Opposition and the People’s National Congress Reform Aubrey Norton on Monday accused the People’s Progressive Party Civic-led administration of politicising the 11-year-old girl’s death and said the government was fearful of the multiracial outpouring of grief and protest.

At the same time, he distanced the opposition from criminal activities. “Let it be made very clear. We do not support the looting. We do not support the destruction of property. We are fully in support in this struggle for justice,” he said on Monday.

For its part, the umbrella confederation, Private Sector Commission (PSC) joined President Ali, the Opposition Leader and the Leader of the Alliance For Change Nigel Hughes, as well as other private sector organisations, in calling on all Guyanese to respect the rule of law, refrain from unlawful behaviour, and desist from damaging public or private property.

“Most importantly, we urge all citizens to avoid actions that could lead to harm against fellow Guyanese,” the PSC said.

That business support organisation said it supports the right to peaceful protest, “a cornerstone of any democratic society,” but “the preservation of public order, adherence to the rule of law, and the protection of lives and property must remain paramount.”

The PSC said it expects the GPF to take decisive and appropriate action to bring those responsible for acts of violence and destruction to justice.

The postmortem conducted by three foreign forensic pathologists revealed that Adriana Younge died from drowning.

Her body was found in a pool at Double Day Hotel, Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo, one day after the GPF had said she was seen on a government surveillance camera system entering an identifiable car.

That police statement, along with the fact that police had stood guard at the hotel’s door, had raised suspicions about whether there was complicity in covering up the disappearance and subsequent death of the girl.

The hotel and the hotelier’s house were burnt on Thursday.

There were several protests in Linden, Berbice and West Demerara as well as in New York in solidarity with the Younges.

The family’s lawyer, Darren Wade, on Tuesday continued to insist on the need for an investigation by the United States Federal Bureau of Investigations, United Kingdom Scotland Yard or the Royal Canadian Mounted Police as the Younges do not have any confidence in the GPF.

“To date, the Government has failed to take any steps to engage these agencies, despite the grave importance of restoring public confidence. Let it be clear: we are in this present mess because of the systemic failures of our Guyana Police Force. It is unfortunate that instead of focusing on the real issues, some have chosen to attack those who seek only to ensure truth and accountability,” the lawyer said.

President Ali Monday night declined to say whether he would give into that request.

The PSC emphasised the importance of allowing the legal and judicial processes to proceed independently, free from political interference or public intimidation.