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“I was also aware that there were a number of blockages
that started to spring up all over the Western Kingston belt
that included the area of Tivoli Gardens and at all entrances.
There were blockages also on Spanish Town Road, Marcus
Garvey Drive, Industrial Terrace and blockages were later
discovered in West Street, Pechon Street and other streets
within the West King Street area – all of that corridor there
were blockages.”
6.12.
Some of the embattlements erected at entry points to Tivoli
Gardens had new and distinctive features:
•
They were deeply layered or organised in depth, making
them useful as firing position or offering protection on
retreat – see the evidence of Maj. Williams.
•
They were higher than normal and obstructed visibility into
the community.
•
According to CoP Ellington and Lt. Col. Cummings, gun posts
were established within the barricade itself, making it a true
embattlement.
•
The explosives placed within the structure of the barricade
could have caused “mass casualties” to the security forces,
as was explained to us by Lt. Col. Cummings at para.21 of
his witness statement.
6.13.
Perhaps this excerpt from the oral evidence of Maj. Williams on
30 June 2015 best exemplifies the magnitude of the danger posed by the
embattlements – structures or objects with explosives devices embedded within
them:
“the barriers interspersed with IEDs, with fall-back firing
positions allowing gunmen to engage, detonate devices and
withdraw to fall-back position, [made] it easy to conclude
that it resembled urban warfare.”