The destructive spate of fires in Linden is continuing amid unrest in the town that began on July 18 with the killing of three protesters by police.
Around 3 am today, the One Mile Primary School was burnt to the ground and in ensuing confrontations over control of the roads into and out of Linden more pellets and teargas were fired by police. Two persons are said to have been injured.
The primary school was destroyed by men who stormed the compound and informed security guards on duty that they are in the ‘struggle’, according to acting Police Commissioner Leroy Brumell who said two men have since been arrested in connection with the arson.
Brumell told Stabroek News that the guards reported that sometime around 3 am the men stormed the school compound “and told them something about being part of the struggle and minutes after they saw smoke and the men made good their escape.”
One of the suspects is known as ‘Candyman’ as he sells candy and nuts around the mining town on weekends. That man and another were arrested he said and police are now taking statements from them.
It was reported that the men had bottles of gasoline in their possession and it was residents who apprehended ‘Candyman’ and handed him over to a soldier.
Meanwhile, police and protestors again this morning faced off and the acting commissioner said that the police were forced to used teargas and pellets in an effort to disperse the protestors. While he could not say if anyone was injured this newspaper understands that at least two men-one who had his foot almost severed-are now a patients at the Mackenzie Hospital.
Members of the joint services were observed running into yards and kicking down doors of homes and pulling men out of their homes. At that point there were no roadblocks in the Mackenzie/Wismar area.
Brumell told this newspaper that members of the joint service will continue to work to get the roadways clear so that traffic can flow freely through the mining town. At present there is a standoff between protestors and members of the joint services at One Mile Four Corners.
Stabroek News observed that residents have blocked off the Mackenzie/Wismar bridge with sand bags and huge logs and many of them reportedly kept vigil at the bridge last night.
“They are clearing the road and will continue to work and we would have to occupy the road for a while to ensure that they are clear,” he told this newspaper.
This latest fire is another in a series since residents of Linden took to the streets on July 18 to protest the government’s announcement to raise the electricity tariff in the mining town. The killing of three men on that date saw the protest escalating and for weeks the protestors occupied and blocked off key areas in the mining town-including Kara Kara Bridge and the bridge connecting Mackenzie and Wismar-cutting off all traffic from proceeding through the town. Matters escalated early Friday morning when the members of the joint services moved into the area and some protesters responded by burning several buildings.
