Guyana Chronicle
March 15, 2001

JUST hours after he was allowed bail after being charged with incitement, TV talk show host Mark Benschop was back in the police lock-ups last night, facing more charges.

His wife Maria and about 25 others were also arrested on the streets around the headquarters of the Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) where police maintained barricades following small street protests related to Benschop's detention Tuesday night.

Benschop and the protesters were arrested at the junction of Lamaha and Main streets, just south of the GECOM headquarters.

The arrest was made at around 14:20 hrs after the crowd refused to disperse from that area when ordered to by police.

On Tuesday, a large group of protesters headed by Benschop tried to demonstrate in front the GECOM base.

The demonstrators late Tuesday night picketed in the vicinity of the Brickdam Police Station lock-ups demanding the release of Benschop.

Tyres, dry grass and rubbish were burnt and stones were hurled at ranks.

During the confrontation, warning shots had to be fired in the air to break up the crowd.

Two policemen were injured in the execution of their duty and five persons were arrested.

A police statement yesterday said Constable 18575 Amrit sustained a fractured skull and Constable 18601 Persaud suffered a fractured leg.

The statement said "the Guyana Police Force remains firm in its resolve to maintain law and order at all times".

Shortly after Benschop was released on bail yesterday, he and a group made their way to the Lamaha and Main streets corner.

Holding his wife's arm, Benschop attempted to gain entry beyond the restricted section.

As he approached the police barriers, he signalled to the crowd to follow him.

Police, in a precision operation, bundled the group into vehicles and took them away.

Small groups of protesters again gathered along Brickdam shortly after 15:00 hrs but did not stay around for long.

A fast food snackette and other small businesses along the targeted area closed early yesterday.

At other business places, gates were closed and security guards patrolled the compounds.

Barricades were once again erected along Brickdam at Manget Place and Sendall Place and other streets within that area.

Police reported the city was quiet last night.

Benschop, three others charged after Tuesday incidents

CONTROVERSIAL Channel Nine television talk show host Mark Benschop and three others faced several charges in a Court yesterday following clashes between protesters and Police on Tuesday.

Before Principal Magistrate Juliet Holder-Allen, the `Straight Up' anchor was charged on two counts of incitement to commit a summary conviction offence and assaulting a peace officer.

Benschop was put on $10,000 bail while Gleason Hoyte, 19, of Lot 74 Side Line, Nabaclis, East Coast Demerara and Coleu Bollers, 42, of Lot 51 Nelson Street, Mocha and John Brown, 28, of Lot 147 Second Street, Agricola, two East Bank Demerara men, had to post $7,000 bonds each on charges of throwing missiles and obstructing a policeman.

All the allegations flowed from incidents outside the head office of Guyana Elections Commission (GECOM) and Brickdam Police Station.

Benschop was arrested after he allegedly broadcast a call for other Guyanese to stage a protest against the non-acquisition of their national identification cards with which to vote at the March 19 general elections.

Police said the broadcaster was present when a crowd gathered outside the GECOM premises in Kingston and he incited the throng to chant before assaulting a cop.

But Defence Counsel Basil Williams told the magistrate Benschop had not yet disembarked a taxi when he was apprehended and taken into custody.

"My client is being pressured," Williams declared, saying it was the third time Benschop appeared in the Georgetown Magistrates' Court to answer criminal charges, following recent accusations of disorderly behaviour, assaulting and obstructing a peace officer, resisting arrest and causing obstruction on a public way.

Other attorney-at-law Mr Mortimer Coddett, representing Hoyte, Bollers and Brown, said they are victims of Police brutality.

He referred to the Brickdam incident and said he is prepared to testify against the Police, if necessary.

Coddett claimed the trio were onlookers when they were pushed and shoved prior to being detained.

The cases have been rescheduled for April 11.