Police continue to arrest people in what they claim was “an illegal March 19, 2025, assembly near the Fort Young Hotel while Parliament was debating the ‘Electoral Reform Bill.”
Last week, four persons, including former parliamentarian Hector “Spags” John, were arrested and charged for the alleged offence.
Another four persons, including former member of parliament for the Roseau North constituency Daniel ” Danny” Lugay, female taxi operator Paula Celestine, Imran Joseph, and popular blogger Seri “Expose” Defoe, are now in police custody.
The “Riot Act” enacted in Dominica in 1897, which is also known as the “Public Order Act” or “Public Order Ordinance”, grants broad powers to the government to suppress public unrest and maintain order, including the ability to prohibit public meetings and processions, and to arrest individuals for disorderly conduct.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
- Purpose: The primary purpose of the Riot Act is to allow the government to take swift action to quell riots, public disorder, and other disturbances that threaten public peace and safety.
- Key Provisions:
- Prohibition of Public Meetings and Processions: The Act allows the government to prohibit public meetings and processions without a permit or to impose restrictions on them.
- Power to Arrest: The Act grants law enforcement officers the authority to arrest individuals for disorderly conduct, obstructing public officials, or inciting unrest.
- Dispersal of Unlawful Assemblies: The Act empowers authorities to disperse unlawful assemblies and to use force if necessary to do so.
- Indemnification of Officials: The Act provides protection and immunity for government officials and law enforcement officers who act in accordance with the Act, even if they cause harm or injury to individuals.
- Historical Context:The Riot Act was enacted in 1897, during a period of colonial rule, and it reflects the colonial government’s concern with maintaining order and suppressing potential dissent. Ronald Charles and Joshua Francis are lawyers representing Defoe, Celestine, and Joseph, and Gildon Richards is representing former MP Daniel “Danny” Lugay.