Police, protesters clash after Opposition Leader’s extradition hearing

Last Updated on Tuesday, 3 November 2026, 7:31 by Written By Denis Chabrol

Hiding behind shields, baton-wielding police charged at We Invest in Nationhood (WIN) supporters outside the Georgetown Magistrates’ court shortly after Opposition Leader Azruddin Mohamed emerged from a Georgetown magistrates’ courtroom.

They shoved down police barriers at Brickdam and Avenue of the Republic and surged past lawmen and lawwomen to the courthouse, causing police to open fire. Police were seen scampering away from the surging crowd as their colleagues fired teargas.

The protesters, numbering less than 200 persons, eventually set fire to a pile of rubbish in the Stabroek Market square short distance from the police outpost. Lawmen used extinguishers to put out the blaze.

Moments earlier, several shots were fired and bottles were lobbed at police who were stationed outside the courthouse.

Forward Guyana Movement (FGM) leader Amanza Walton-Desir, who turned up outside the courthouse in solidarity with WIN, said the death of a man while in police custody could further incense Guyanese if Mr Mohamed suffers a similar fate while incarcerated at the Lusignan Prison. “You got the Leader of the Opposition in custody . If something should happen to him today, understand what will happen to this country so my call to to the government is to de-escalate it,” she said.

A Partnership for National Unity (APNU) parliamentarian, Sherod Duncan said the Leader of the Opposition’s plight could be the same for other politician. “The Leader of the Opposition’s problems today could be the problems for any political party and any political leader or for the citizenry of this country. Some dangerous precedents are being set,” he said.

Based on Mr Mohamed’s claim that he is in solitary confinement, she questioned why that was done for a bailable offence. She said the legal and penal systems were being used to “break and harass people.”

On arrival at the Georgetown Magistrates’ court on Monday, Mr Mohamed deemed the conditions in his cell at the Lusignan Prison as “maximum punishment” ” The demonic PPP government wants to kill me before the next election….The place is like a furnace. Twenty-three hours, 50 minutes lockdown,” he said.

Meanwhile, Guyana Police Force intelligence chief Prem Narine, who is a key witness in the extradition request hearings, reiterated what he told the court. “I am fearful for my life. My family is being dragged into this. They have been attacking my brother, his business,” he said.