Tanya Stephens, Damion Crawford Condemn Police Tape Of Jamaican Man Who ‘Dissed’ Andrew Holness
Tanya Stephens and self-proclaimed Dancehall Defender Damion Crawford have condemned the actions of the police, who recently videotaped St. Ann native Shaquille Higgins as he got dressed in his home, during his arrest, after a viral video surfaced of him disrespecting Prime Minister Andrew Holness.
A few days ago, Crawford, who is a former junior Minister of Entertainment, shared a section of the video with a scared-looking Higgins apparently in his bedroom, putting on his garments, and declared it a clear case of police abuse, predicated on the man’s socio-economic standing.
“This is not abuse of power… it is abuse of poverty… had he been from another income bracket it could not happen… it’s funny how money changes situations,” Crawford noted.
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The St Ann police had located Higgins after he posted the video of himself hurling invectives at the Prime Minister and calling out his address where he could be found, while declaring he was fearless.
A longer video recorded by the police, has also been circulating which includes Higgins being ordered by a police sergeant to be more robust with his apology, and that he should do it in the same manner in which he cursed at the PM.
After seeing Crawford’s post, Tanya, who is an ardent critic of Holness and former Prime Minister Portia Simpson Miller, questioned the integrity of the Jamaica Constabulary Force, whom she implied had been setting double standards.
She also juxtaposed the issue of embattled Central Westmoreland Member of Parliament George Wright, who had been accused of beating a woman with a stool, with Higgins’ conduct, pointing out that the actions of the politician were more heinous.
“Jamaica is such a broken society! People genuinely seem unable to identify crime…so man beat woman with stool walk free but boy cuss police come fi him? The JCF is now Andrew personal enforcers?????” Stephens wrote.
While most commenters agreed with Stephens, there were a few dissenters, among them, hanabalofcar, who argued that unlike Higgins’ situation, there was no clear-cut proof that Wright was the person in the video wielding the stool.
“@iamtanyastephens what does this have to do with that 2 persons witness the assault and none of them came forward police can’t act without evidence, can you tell who the two persons in the video were,” she wrote.
Another commenter, dornellsaxa also argued that in other jurisdictions, persons who disrespected their leaders were usually prosecuted.
“No ano that enuh you know what im looking at me neva really see nor heard of a normal citizen in any country disrespecting their leader like that on big broad social media and no get arrested still .so me kinda a look on it two ways.
However, Stephens sought to rubbish the claims.
“@dornellsaxa which stadium dem a store the ppl who diss Trump inna?” the It’s a pity artist asked, before adding: “and Obama?” “or closer home…PJ Paterson. Edward Seaga. Portia Simpson-Miller.”
The police later said that Higgins was not arrested for the comments he made in the video, but was questioned in relation to a larceny matter in St. Ann. He was released from police custody, without charge.
Following his release, Commissioner of Police, Major General Antony Anderson, had said that he had instructed the Inspectorate of Professional Standards to investigate the circumstances surrounding the actions of the members of the police force involved in the videotaping of Higgins.
According to the Observer, The Commissioner said it was inappropriate “to share internal reports, correspondence or images captured on duty without proper authorisation”. He had also demanded that the practice ceases as it puts the JCF and the public at risk and said that those found in breach “will be held accountable”.
Anderson had also appealed to the members of the JCF, not to solicit apologies from members of the public, noting that they should be made to apologise of their own free will.