Engineer relates physical attack by New Kingston police corporal
CHEMICAL and biomedical engineer Dr Rene Williamson was injured in what he said was an attack by a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force on Friday.
Dr Williamson, affectionately called Zazou, told the Jamaica Observer that on Friday morning around 11:00 he went to the New Kingston Police Station to report a civil matter between himself and a popular hotel.
Dr Williamson said he removed his mask briefly to show his face to a young lady he was speaking to when he was asked by a corporal to put on back the mask.
Before complying, Dr Williamson said he began to use his public health knowledge to explain to the corporal that under the rules of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), once he is fully vaccinated against COVID-19 he is not required to wear masks indoors or outside.
“As a fully vaccinated person, meaning I took two shots of the Moderna vaccine, which Jamaicans would say is the good thing, I am 99.7 per cent safe from a serious hospitalisation if I contract COVID. To arrive in Jamaica I took three COVID tests – two PCR, one in Connecticut and one in New York. I also took a rapid test in New York. On arrival I announced myself as a business traveller and paid for a PCR test, which was negative,” Dr Williamson said.
Dr Williamson told the Sunday Observer that at that point the exchange became “aggressive and disrespectful.
“The overzealousness of the gentleman was a matter of life and death. On recording at the police station he is shown to physically remove me from the police station, saying he is enforcing Jamaica’s COVID laws. When I stood up for my rights, as I am entitled to, for not being disrespected, he then proceeded to pepper spray me. I have wounds all over the left side of my body...i was blinded temporarily, incapacitated so much so that I buck my foot and it started bleeding. I ran into a light post because I was so blinded and my teeth now feels like they are now out of socket. He could’ve killed me because of his overzealousness ... because I refused to move from the back of the bus like Rosa Parks, because I am not stupid, because I do have four Ivy League degrees and a PHD in biomedicine this man decided to be overzealous and almost killed me. Someone will have to pay,” Dr Williamson said.
He added: “He asked me to leave in a disrespectful way and I am not to be disrespected...he referred to me in a derogatory way and I advised him that I am not a homosexual...he said if mi don’t come out him a guh throw mi out, and I advised him I am not going to move. I am a citizen and a taxpayer in Jamaica. He then decided to lift me up and throw me out. He physically removed me from the police station from my seated position...him grab me up like him a drape up him little pickni, and mi a nuh bwoy. Mi a 45 years old...him lick mi inna mi face and then tek him pepper spray and spray all over my face, resulting in what I believe to be third-degree or second-degree burns all over my face. I had to spend more than one hour at the Andrew’s Hospital using soap as a neutraliser to remove the effects of the pepper spray.”
Dr Williamson further chided the country’s policies regarding vaccination and mask-wearing.
“Jamaica needs to update its policy to allow people who are vaccinated to have the freedom to decide whether they want to wear masks or not. I do believe COVID kills people. I am a biomedical scientist and I know doctors who work in the field, but you must also have sensible policies... If the CDC has 15 months worth of data and Jamaica can’t find it out, after 15 months of a pandemic, then supm cyaa right,” he said.
Dr Williamson said after leaving the hospital he reported the matter to the Half-wayTree Police Station and will not stop until the corporal is fired.
“I will spend every dollar with my attorney to ensure that he gets fired. You cyaa dis mi,” he said.
Meanwhile, senior communication strategist at the Jamaica Constabulary Force, Dennis Brooks advised Dr Williamson to make a formal report to the Inspectorate and Professional Standards Oversight Bureau (IPROB). IPROB allows members of the public to report police misconduct and submit information to assist with investigations.
The number to call, send Whatsapp messages to, such as voice notes, videos and images is 876-838-3084. People who wish to make reports may also email the department at iprob@jcf.gov.jm