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“We had a lot of Intelligence operatives within Tivoli
Gardens.”
6.36.
The video and photographic evidence before us showed
unidentified persons involved in erecting barriers and embattlements. No
evidence was adduced of the arrests of any of these persons and we are
therefore not in a position to name or identify them.
6.37.
A large number of residents of Tivoli Gardens gave evidence and,
although many of them spoke of seeing barricades in their community, most of
them seemed unwilling to identify persons who blockaded their community. We
were largely confronted with silence and denial on this issue. At best, we were
told by some residents that they saw the barricading on television.
6.38.
John Green was typical of the witnesses from Tivoli Gardens. His
evidence on this issue was –
“I see barriers there. I go to my bed, sleep, wake up, I see
barriers. I don’t know who put it there.”
He spoke of “daredevils” running around in the community but he did not see
any of them with guns.
6.39.
Three residents who stepped beyond the shelters of ambiguity
and/or silence were Troy Palmer, Willis McFarlane and Lovette Bryan. McFarlane
explicitly acknowledged the presence of gunmen within the community and he
admitted that the entrances to the community were barricaded. He told us that
he heard that there were gunmen in the community but he did not know any
details. Palmer admitted under cross-examination that he was aware that
residents were erecting “roadblocks” using old cars and debris and sandbags.
Ms. Lovette Bryan was in no doubt that residents of Tivoli Gardens had fortified
the area to protect Christopher Coke and she said so.